A new family of carbohydrate liquid crystals.N-Alkylated 1-deoxynojirimycin derivatives [1]

Abstract
The thermal properties of eight N-substituted 1-deoxynojirimycin (5-amino-1,5-dideoxy-D-glucopyranose, 1) derivatives have been studied by means of polarizing microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction. It was thereby found for the first time that four of these biologically active compounds (6–9) exhibit the smectic A type of mesophase. Furthermore, in contact preparations of 6–9 with water lyomesogenic behaviour was also observed.