A series of symmetric and asymmetric 1,6,7,12-tetrachloroperylene bisimides (PBICls) were synthesized andmodified by siloxane substituents at the imide nitrogen atom. Siloxane substitutions do not apparentlyaffect the electronic properties of PBICIs as demonstrated by CV experiments. They display boththermotropic and lyotropic liquid crystalline behaviors. The effect of different siloxane substituents ontheir liquid crystal structures was investigated in detail. Small angle X-ray scattering indicates that PBIClsadopt hexagonal columnar packing in thermotropic liquid crystals. In addition, PBICls exhibit good
optical properties, good solubility and film-forming ability. Thus the oriented films of PBICl liquid crystalscould be easily fabricated by mechanical shear, which show anisotropic properties in UV-vis absorptionspectra.
