Resorcinarene appended benzothiazole based light-emitting macrocyclic compounds with nematic liquid crystalline phase and bio-imaging applications

This research work represents the synthesis, characterization, and multifunctional applications of resorcinarene functionalized benzothiazole based derivatives. The synthesized resorcinarene-based macrocycles have been characterized by standard spectroscopic techniques including IR, NMR (1H and 13C), HRMS, and elemental analysis. The mesomorphic property of the macrocycles was investigated using polarizing optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction techniques. The thermal stability of the compounds was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis. All four materials with variable alkyl chain showed enantiotropic nematic mesophase with a broad temperature range and higher thermal stability. Further, the structure-property relationship was studied to understand the effect of variable alkyl side on the liquid crystalline properties. The photophysical study of the compounds was conducted in both solution and thin films. Further, the selected resorcinarene containing decyl tail group was evaluated for its applicability in cancer cell imaging. Cellular uptake and localization studies revealed their ability to stain cancer cells, making them promising fluorescent probes for bioimaging applications.