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The merger of ionic liquid and liquid crystal fields, obtained by using the imidazolium ring as a common element, has allowed us to tailor a new set of materials which associate specific functionalities. These functionalities are consequences of the original properties of the component, ionic liquids, liquid crystals and their association in a single compound. The study of this interesting association led us to elaborate environment-flexible cationic architectures from which mesomorphic properties emerge. Moreover, we have also explored the influence of different anions on the mesomorphic properties.

An efficient, solvent free method for the N-arylation of imidazole by 1-(dodecyloxy)-4-iodobenzene using Cu(II)-NaY as catalyst and K2CO3 as base is reported. By this synthetic approach, mesomorphic 3-[4-(dodecyloxy)phenyl]-1-methyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium iodide was synthesized in a two-step procedure, and its mesomorphism has been fully investigated by polarised optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. In addition its lamellar crystal structure, electrochemical behaviour and UV (absorption and emission) properties are reported.