Dipeptide and tripeptide conjugates as low-molecular-weight hydrogelators

Dipeptide and tripeptide conjugates are receiving significant current interest as LMWG, driven by the accessibility of these materials, their relatively low cost and also the large number of examples that successfully form hydrogels. Their behaviour can easily modified by changes in the amino acids or the aromatic end groups chosen. The assembly process has been relatively well described for a small subset of these gelators, giving a good idea of the behaviour of these molecules and allowing an understanding of the conditions under which assembly will occur. Here, we critically review the literature in this area and consider the importance of gelator choice and method of assembly on the outcome of the gelation. We also discuss the applications of these hydrogels.