Design, synthesis and stimuli responsive gelation of novel stigmasterol-amino acid conjugates

An efficient synthesis of three novel stigmasterol-amino acid (glycine, L-leucine and L-phenylalanine) conjugates as stimuli responsive gelators is reported. The gelation properties of the prepared compounds were investigated in a variety of organic as well as aqueous solvents. The most striking finding of our investigation was that the hydrochloride salts of the prepared conjugates acted as gelators, whereas the neutral conjugates were either non-gelators or formed only a weak gel in anisole. The hydrochloride salts of stigmasteryl glycinate and L-leucinate form gels in n-alcohols (n=4-10) and in ethane-1,2-diol, and that of stigmasteryl L-phenylalaninate forms gels in aromatic solvents and in tetrachloromethane. These unique properties of the gelators were explored to prepare stimuli responsive, "acid-base" triggered reversible sol-gel transitions. The gelators and their gels were characterized by liquid and solid-state NMR as well as FT-IR. The morphology of their corresponding xerogels was investigated by SEM.     

Molecular mechanism of physical gelation of hydrocarbons by fatty acid amides of natural amino acids

A variety of fatty acid amides of different naturally occurring l-amino acids have been synthesized and they are found to form gels with various hydrocarbons. The gelation properties of these compounds were studied by a number of physical methods including FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, rheology, and it was found that gelation depended critically on the fatty acid chain length and the nature of the amino acid. Among them l-alanine based gelators were found to be the most efficient and versatile gelators as they self-assemble into a layered structure to form the gel network. Mechanisms for the assembly and formation of gels from these molecules are discussed.     

脂肪酰谷氨酸与小分子有机凝胶

研究了脂肪酰谷氨酸作为凝胶因子在不同有机溶剂中的成胶性能。结果表明,小分子有机凝胶的形成及其稳定性与有机溶剂种类、凝胶因子浓度和凝胶因子中碳链长度密切相关。FT-IR表明,凝胶因子在有机溶剂中是通过氢键等非共价力相互作用而聚集、自我组装形成凝胶。利用光学显微镜观察发现,凝胶因子在不同有机溶剂中形成凝胶的微观结构不同。     

具有选择性胶凝能力的小分子胶凝剂研究进展

不相溶混合溶剂的选择性胶凝对于溶剂纯化和分离,特别是溢油处理和水体净化具有十分重要的意义。 具有选择性胶凝能力的胶凝剂可以是高分子、微纳米颗粒和小分子胶凝剂。 然而,相对于高分子和微纳米颗粒材料,以小分子化合物为胶凝剂的凝胶往往具有凝胶 溶胶相变可逆性,这种可逆性无疑会对凝胶体系的实际应用带来额外的好处。 基于这些考虑,本文按照胶凝剂分子的结构,分类介绍此类小分子胶凝剂研究进展,并展望了相关研究的前景和可能应用。     

Structural and Solubility Parameter Correlations of Gelation Abilities for Dihydroxylated Derivatives of Long‐Chain,Naturally Occurring Fatty Acids

Creating structure–property correlations at different distance scales is one of the important challenges to the rational design of molecular gelators. Here, a series of dihydroxylated derivatives of long‐chain fatty acids, derived from three naturally occurring molecules—oleic, erucic and ricinoleic acids—are investigated as gelators of a wide variety of liquids. Conclusions about what constitutes a more (or less!) efficient gelator are based upon analyses of a variety of thermal, structural, molecular modeling, and rheological results. Correlations between the manner of molecular packing in the neat solid or gel states of the gelators and Hansen solubility data from the liquids leads to the conclusion that diol stereochemistry, the number of carbon atoms separating the two hydroxyl groups, and the length of the alkanoic chains are the most important structural parameters controlling efficiency of gel formation for these gelators. Some of the diol gelators are as efficient or even more efficient than the well‐known, excellent gelator, (R)‐12‐hydroxystearic acid; others are much worse. The ability to form extensive intermolecular H‐bonding networks along the alkyl chains appears to play a key role in promoting fiber growth and, thus, gelation. In toto, the results demonstrate how the efficiency of gelation can be modulated by very small structural changes and also suggest how other structural modifications may be exploited to create efficient gelators.     

Versatile supramolecular gelators that can harden water, organic solvents and ionic liquids

We developed novel supramolecular gelators with simple molecular structures that could harden a broad range of solvents: aqueous solutions of a wide pH range, organic solvents, edible oil, biodiesel, and ionic liquids at gelation concentrations of 0.1-2 wt %. The supramolecular gelators were composed of a long hydrophobic tail, amino acids and gluconic acid, which were prepared by liquid-phase synthesis. Among seven types of the gelators synthesized, the gelators containing L-Val, L-Leu, and L-Ile exhibited high gelation ability to various solvents. These gelators were soluble in aqueous and organic solvents, and also in ionic liquids at high temperature. The gelation of these solvents was thermally reversible. The microscopic observations (TEM, SEM, and CLSM) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements suggested that the gelator molecules self-assembled to form entangled nanofibers in a large variety of solvents, resulting in the gelation of these solvents. Molecular mechanics and density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated the possible molecular packing of the gelator in the nanofibers. Interestingly, the gelation of an ionic liquid by our gelator did not affect the ionic conductivity of the ionic liquid, which would provide an advantage to electrochemical applications.     

Amino Acid Based Low‐Molecular‐Weight Ionogels as Efficient Dye‐Adsorbing Agents and Templates for the Synthesis of TiO2 Nanoparticles

The gelation of ionic liquids is attracting significant attention because of its large spectrum of applications across different disciplines. These ‘green solvents’ have been the solution to a number of common problems due to their eco‐friendly features. To expand their applications, the gelation of ionic liquids has been achieved by using amino acid‐based low‐molecular‐weight compounds. Variation of individual segments in the molecular skeleton of the gelators, which comprise the amino acid and the protecting groups at the N and C termini, led to an understanding of the structure–property correlation of the ionogelation process. An aromatic ring containing amino acid‐based molecules protected with a phenyl or cyclohexyl group at the N terminus were efficient in the gelation of ionic liquids. In the case of aliphatic amino acids, gelation was more prominent with a phenyl group as the N‐terminal protecting agent. The probable factors responsible for this supramolecular association of the gelators in ionic liquids have been studied with the help of field‐emission SEM, ¹H NMR, FTIR, and luminescence studies. It is the hydrophilic–lipophilic balance that needs to be optimized for a molecule to induce gelation of the green solvents. Interestingly, to maximize the benefits from using these green solvents, these ionogels have been employed as templates for the synthesis of uniform‐sized TiO₂ nanoparticles (25–30 nm). Furthermore, as a complement to their applications, ionogels serve as efficient adsorbents of both cationic and anionic dyes and were distinctly better relative to their organogel counterparts.     

A novel class of organo- (hydro-) gelators based on ascorbic acid

A library of novel, lipid-modified derivatives of ascorbic acid was shown to exhibit highly attractive properties as surfactants, emulsifiers, oil soluble antioxidants, and highly effective gelators in organic solvents and especially water. In these systems, intermolecular hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces act synergistically to induce gelation as confirmed by spectroscopic studies. The morphology of the formed gel has been characterized by scanning electron microscopy.     

Synthesis of Fluorescent Gelators and Direct Observation of Gelation with a Fluorescence Microscope

Fluorescein‐, benzothiazole‐, quinoline‐, stilbene‐, and carbazole‐containing fluorescent gelators have been synthesized by connecting gelation‐driving segments, including l ‐isoleucine, l ‐valine, l ‐phenylalanine, l ‐leucine residue, cyclo(l ‐asparaginyl‐l ‐phenylalanyl), and trans‐(1R,2R)‐diaminocyclohexane. The emission behaviors of the gelators were investigated, and their gelation abilities studied against 15 solvents. The minimum gel concentration, variable‐temperature spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, fluorescence microscopy (FM), and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) were used to characterize gelation. The intermolecular hydrogen bonding between the N?H and C=O of amide, van der Waals interactions and π–π stacking play important roles in gelation. The colors of emission are related to the fluorescence structures of gelators. Fibrous aggregates characterized by the color of their emission were observed by FM. 3D images are produced by the superposition of images captured by CLSM every 0.1 μm to a settled depth. The 3D images show that the large micrometer‐sized aggregates spread out three dimensionally. FM observations of mixed gelators are studied. In the case of gelation, two structurally related gelators with the same gelation‐driving segment lead to the gelators build up of the same aggregates through similar hydrogen‐bonding patterns. When two gelators with structurally different gelation‐driving segments induce gelation, the gelators build up each aggregate through individual hydrogen‐bonding patterns. A fluorescent reagent that was incorporated into the aggregates of gels through van der Waals interactions was developed. The addition of this fluorescent reagent enables the successful observation of nonfluorescent gelators’ aggregates by FM.     

Effect of Alkyl Chain Length of N-Alkyl-N′-(2-benzylphenyl)ureas on Gelation

Urea derivatives that were substituted with a 2-benzylphenyl group and an alkyl group functioned as low molecular weight gelators for various organic solvents and ionic liquids. Urea derivatives with long alkyl chains were effective for the gelation of polar solvents. However, they were not suitable for the gelation of non-polar solvents, whereas urea derivatives with short alkyl chains were effective. Ionic liquids were similar to polar solvents in that urea derivatives with long alkyl chains were the most effective gelators. The physical properties of the formed supramolecular gels were analyzed by dynamic viscoelasticity measurements using a rheometer.     

Progress in the studies of low-molecular mass gelators with unusual properties

This article is intended to provide an overview of recent progress in the studies of cholesterol-based low-molecular mass gelators (LMMGs) with unusual properties,in particular,gelation and selective gelation at room temperature,gel emulsions and gel film formation,etc.Potential applications of the LMMGs in spilled oil collection and water purification are briefly presented.     

Biotin-amino acid conjugates: an approach toward self-assembled hydrogelation

[structure: see text] Amino acid-appended biotin hydrogelators are a new class of low-molecular-weight gelators that display remarkable gelation properties in aqueous media, including buffer solutions with variable pH.     

Dissolution parameters reveal role of structure and solvent in molecular gelation

The relationship between thermodynamic dissolution parameters (enthalpy and entropy) and gelation ability was examined for two different classes of compounds in three different solvent systems. In total, 11 dipeptides and 19 pyridines were synthesized and screened for gelation in aqueous and organic solvents, respectively. The dissolution parameters were determined from the variable-temperature solubilities using the van't Hoff equation. These studies revealed that the majority of gelators had higher dissolution enthalpies and entropies compared to nongelators, consistent with the notion that gelators have stronger intermolecular interactions and more order in the solid state. The dissolution parameters were also found to be solvent-dependent, suggesting that solvent-solute interactions are also important in gelation. Overall, these results indicate that converting nongelators into gelators is attainable when structural modifications or a change in solvent lead to increases in the dissolution parameters.     

Synthesis,characterization and self-assembly of novel fluorescent alkoxy-substituted 1, 4-diarylated 1, 2, 3-triazoles organogelators

Novel organogelators based on fluorescent alkoxy-substituted 1,4-diarylated 1, 2, 3-triazoles are reported. The findings monitored in the current study promoted the development of inventive compacted supramolecular architectures generated by self-assembly of the prepared triazole-based organogelators. The synthesis, characterization and gelation properties of the current novel alkoxy-substituted 1,4-diarylated 1, 2, 3-triazole arms were described. The synthesis procedures were accomplished by using Cu-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) of alkoxy-substituted aryl azide with aryl bearing terminal alkyne subtituents and alkoxy chains of different lengths. The alkoxy-substituted of 1, 4-diarylated 1, 2, 3-triazole derivatives bearing different alkoxy chains were characterized by FTIR, ¹H/¹³C NMR, and elemental analysis. The 1, 4-diarylated 1, 2, 3-triazoles with longer alkoxy terminal groups demonstrated improved gelation properties compared to those with shorter alkoxy terminals. The morphologies of the self-assembled alkoxy-substituted 1, 4-diarylated 1, 2, 3-triazoles were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which demonstrated arrangements of highly ordered nanofibers, forced by π-stacks and van der Waals interactions. The antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity of the newly synthesized triazoles was investigated to verify the potential use of the present triazole gelators for a variety of applications, such as drug delivery.     

Progress in Molecular Dynamics and Hansen Solubility Parameters of Low Molecular Weight Gels北大核心CSCD

Recently,the use of computational methods such as Molecular Dynamics（MD）simulations and Hansen Solubility Parameters （HSPs）to study the behavior of small molecule gelators has attracted much attention. MD simulation is a computational method based on classical mechanics and is one of the preferred techniques for understanding the process of small molecule gelators. The MD simulation can more accurately analyze the gelation trend or assembly behavior of small molecule gelators,dynamically and graphically display the self-assembly process,effectively reveal the relationship between the structure of small molecule gelators and related gelation behavior,and quantitatively analyze non-covalent bond interactions such as hydrogen bonds,π-π stacking,van der Waals interactions,ionic bonding and solvophobic interactions. By performing molecular dynamics simulations on known gelators/non-gelators,parameters related to gelation behavior in the simulated data are extracted,and the linear correlation is measured by fitting the Pearson correlation coefficient to finally predict the gelation behavior of a certain class of small molecules. On the other hand,the empirical model developed according to the HSPs is the most representative,which consists of the energy of dispersion interaction（δd）,the energy of polar interaction（δp）and H-bonding energy（δh ）between molecules. These three parts determine the coordinate point of the three-dimensional space（Hansen space）. According to the range of the point,it can be determined whether the organic small molecule can form a gel in a specific solvent. In this paper,representative works published recently in the field of organic small molecule gels by using MD simulations and empirical models are reviewed. Some comments on the assembly behavior of gelators,the regulation and prediction of non-covalent bond interactions on gelation ability are made. © 2022, Science Press (China). All rights reserved.     

Sorbitol-based supramolecular organogelators with effective phase-selective gelation and significant self-healing property

Several effective phase-selective gelators (PSGs) have been developed from a series of cheap and easy-to-make sorbitol-based compounds for the removal of many oils from their biphasic mixtures with water. The dominant factors that drive gelation have been studied using FTIR and temperature-dependent ¹H NMR spectra. Additionally, the case of PSGs exhibit significant self-healing properties that can recover the gelatin block and hence provide a more flexible approach for oil-spill recovery. The highly effective phase-selective performance and self-healing properties of these organogelators indicate the potential and promising applicability in oil-spill recovery.     

New dicholesteryl-based gelators: chirality and spacer length effect

Eight new diacid amides of dicholesteryl L(D)-alaninates were designed and prepared. The compounds with spacers containing three, four, five, or six carbon atoms and L-alanine residues are denoted as 1a, 2a, 3a, and 4a, respectively, and those containing D-alanine residues are denoted as 1b, 2b, 3b, and 4b, respectively. A gelation test revealed that a subtle change in the length of the spacer and an inverse in the chirality of the amino acid residue can produce a dramatic change in the gelation behavior of the compounds and the microstructures of the gels, as revealed by SEM, XRD, and CD measurements. Importantly, for the compounds 1 and 2, those containing d-alanine residues (1b, 2b) are more efficient gelators than their analogues with opposite chirality (1a, 2a). For the compounds of longer spacers (3, 4), however, those containing l-alanine residues (3a, 4a) are superior to the corresponding ones with d-alanine residues (3b, 4b). Very interestingly, of the 139 gel systems studied, at least 11 of them gel spontaneously at room temperature. Studies of the rheological properties of the example systems of these gels demonstrated that change in the spacer lengths of the gelators has a great effect upon the mechanical properties of the corresponding gels, and the studies also revealed the thixotropic properties of the gels. Furthermore, it was observed that 4a forms water-in-oil gel emulsions with some organic solvents by simple agitating the systems at room temperature.     

p‐Quaterphenylene as an Aggregation‐Induced Emission Fluorogen in Supramolecular Organogels and Fluorescent Sensors

Two dumbbell‐shaped organogelators with a p ‐quaterphenylene core were synthesized, and their self‐assembly properties were investigated. These low‐molecular‐weight gelators could form self‐supporting gels in many apolar organic solvents with an H‐type aggregation form through a synergic effect of π–π stacking, intermolecular translation‐related hydrogen bonding, and van der Waals forces. In comparison to the p ‐terphenylene‐cored gelator, the extended π‐conjugated segment improved the gelation efficiency significantly with enhanced gelation rate. Additionally, these p ‐quaterphenylene‐centered gelators exhibited strong fluorescence emission induced by aggregation, which not only provided an in situ method to optically monitor the gelation process, but also endowed these self‐assemblies with substantial applications in sensing explosives.     

Synthesis and characterization of d-glucosamine-derived low molecular weight gelators

Carbohydrate-based low molecular weight gelators are an interesting class of molecules with many potential applications. Previously, we have found that certain esters and carbamates of 4,6-O-benzylidene-α-d-methyl-glucopyranoside are low molecular weight gelators for a variety of solvents, including water. In order to obtain effective and robust sugar-based organogelators and understand the structure and gelation relationship, we extended our studies using 4,6-O-benzylidene-α-d-methyl-2-deoxy-2-amino-glucopyranoside as the headgroup. A series of amides and ureas were prepared from the protected d-glucosamine and the corresponding isocyanates or acid chlorides, in good yields. The self-assembling properties of these compounds were studied in several solvents, including water and aqueous solutions. Comparing to the ester and carbamate derivatives previously prepared from d-glucose, the amides and urea derivatives afforded more robust gels at lower concentrations typically. Most of these compounds were found to be efficient low molecular weight hydrogelators (LMHGs) for aqueous solutions at concentrations lower than 0.5 wt %. The preparation and characterization of these compounds are reported here.