A quick-and-easy route to unsymmetrically substituted derivatives of triphenylene: preparation of polymeric discotic liquid crystals

Unsymmetrically substituted triphenylenes can be obtained by the iron(III) chloride mediated oxidative coupling of a 3,3′,4,4′-tetraalkoxybiphenyl with a 1,2-dialkoxybenzene thus opening up a practicable route to polymeric discotic liquid crystals.