Abstract Ionic liquid crystals are mesogenic compounds that consist of cations and anions, usually rod-like cations and spherical anions. Herein we report a new method for the synthesis of ionic liquid crystals by using cations and anions of the same molecular shape with oppositely charged head groups. Thus, 4-alkoxyphenylpentamethylguanidinium 4- alkoxyphenylsulfonate ion pairs have been synthesised. 4- ...