Multi‐Responsive Supramolecular Gels Based on Charge Transfer Interactions |
| |
| Authors: | Chen Li Dr Chengshuo Shen Jiucheng Nie Prof Dr Huibin Qiu |
| |
| Affiliation: | 1. School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China;2. Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China;3. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China |
| |
| Abstract: | We report the co‐assembly of aromatic donor (D) and acceptor (A) molecules into purple sponge‐like supramolecular gels through susceptible charge transfer interactions with the aid of solvophobic interactions. The gel remained intact with the addition of up to 23 % (v/v) of nonpolar good solvents, such as toluene and xylene, but dissociated in the presence of <2 % (v/v) of polar solvents, such as tetrahydrofuran, ethyl acetate, and alcohols, with highly distinguishable changes of color. Notably, the gel dissolved within 1 min and the solution turned blue when 0.1 % (v/v) of methanol was added. The response to trifluoroacetic acid was extremely sensitive (i.e., the gel vanished immediately in the presence of 2 equivalents of trifluoroacetic acid), and the subsequent addition of trimethylamine could recover the purple gel. The multiple and visible response thus render the D–A gels as a potential detector for sensing complex chemical environments. |
| |
| Keywords: | charge transfer donor– acceptor systems gels multi-responsive self-assembly |
|
|
