Two thiol-funcationalized discotic liquid crystalline mesogens, 17a and 17b have been synthesized. Their liquid crystalline properties were studied using polarizing optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and powder X-ray diffraction. Upon heating, 17a showed a columnar phase followed by a discotic nematic phase. On the other hand, 17b exhibited only a columnar mesophase within a wide temperature range. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) have been prepared by chemisorption of 17a and 17b individually from dilute solutions. Alignment behaviors of discotic liquid crystalline materials 15a, 23a, 23b, and 23c on the above mentioned SAMs have been investigated by polarizing optical microscopy. These SAMs showed significant aligning ability as indicated by optical textures of the discotic columnar mesogens.