A Revised Model for the Molecular Arrangement in the Smectic A _d Phase of Carbohydrate Derived Amphiphiles with One Alkyl Chain†

Abstract

Abstract We propose a different molecular arrangement in the bilayers of the smectic Ad phase of mesogenic Carbohydrate amphiphiles from that previously postulated. The molecular arrangement proposed in this report is consistent with all experimental data currently available. In this new model, the smectic bilayers are identical (except for the absence of water) to the fluid lamellar (Lα) lyotropic phase, i.e., the molecules within the bilayers are arranged tail-to-tail, with the carbohydrate moieties on the outside of the bilaycrs and partially interdigitized alkyl chains in the core of each layer.