Azines as liquid crystalline materials: An up-to-date review

There are exhaustive reports on the chemistry of organic compounds that exhibits liquid crystalline phases. The present review is first of its kind that emphasizes on an evidence based survey on the mesogenic properties of 2,3-diaza-1,3-butadienes or azines. The article opens with a brief introduction to liquid crystals, their types and commonly observed mesogenic phases in azines. An overview on the structural aspects of azines, their properties and relevant applications are also illustrated. A detailed discussion on the literature reports on the synthesis and application of azines as liquid crystalline materials is provided. Finally, the future prospects of azines as mesogenic materials are also presented.