Molecular structure banana-shaped compounds

Other types of interesting, sometimes even curious, amphotropic materials with unusual molecular architectures have also been found. Whereas T-shaped [109] molecular structures have flexible wings, T-shaped compounds are made of rigid lipophilic units [166]. In the T-shaped case, smectic instead of columnar phases are observed. While mono-alkylated amphiphiles usually show only SmA phases, an interesting exception are so-called banana shaped amphiphiles of which 51 in Fig. 35 may be an example. This gentiobioside exhibits a bi-continuous cubic mesophase [129]. 

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