Light and acid dual-responsive organogel formation based on m-methyl red derivative

A new gelator 1 that included m-methyl red was synthesized and fully characterized. It was found that the organogel of 1 was stable in DMSO even if the organogel was stimulated by acid or light. The organogel was thoroughly characterized using various microscopic techniques including field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra. The organogel exhibited tunable structures and optical properties under different stimulation. The regular nanoring structure was turned into microspheres after the organogel in DMSO was stimulated at 254 nm light or acid. At the same time, the color of molecule 1 in gel state and solution state was all changed after stimulation by light or acid. The hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking were found to be the main driving forces for gel formation. This dual-responsive gel held promise for soft materials application in upscale smart responsive materials.