Phosphate‐Triggered Self‐Assembly of N‐[(Uracil‐5‐yl)methyl]urea: A Minimalistic Urea‐Derived Hydrogelator |
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| Authors: | Alexander J Kleinsmann Nicole M Weckenmann Prof Boris J Nachtsheim |
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| Affiliation: | Institut für Organische Chemie, Eberhard Karls Universit?t Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, 72076 Tübingen (Germany) |
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| Abstract: | N‐(Uracil‐5‐yl)methyl]urea is reported as a minimalistic low‐molecular‐weight hydrogelator (LMWHG). The unusual phosphate‐induced assembly of this compound has been thoroughly investigated by IR, UV/Vis, and NMR spectroscopy, electron microscopy, and rheological experiments. This rare example of an anion‐triggered urea‐based LMWHG is the first example of a pyrimidine‐ and urea‐containing molecule that can be forced into self‐assembly in aqueous solution without additional aromatic or lipophilic groups. The gelator/phosphate ratio within the hydrogel was successfully determined by 31P MAS NMR spectroscopy. The hydrogel exhibits a very fast and repeatable self‐healing property, and remarkable G′ values. The viscoelastic properties of the hydrogel can easily be tuned by variation of the phosphate ratio. |
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| Keywords: | gels hydrogen bonds nucleobases self‐assembly urea |
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