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Fluorescent Supramolecular Gels Based on D-Sorbitol Derivatives.
Emmanuel Odella1, Miryam Criado-Gonzalez2, Rodrigo A Ponzio1
1Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnologías Energéticas y Materiales Avanzados (IITEMA), Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto (UNRC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Río Cuarto, Argentina.
Researchers developed versatile, fluorescent low-molecular-weight gelators (LMWGs) from sugar-based molecules. One LMWG, MCumS, successfully formed supramolecular gels in diverse solvents, including water and deep eutectic solvents, demonstrating broad applicability.
Area of Science:
- Supramolecular Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Organic Chemistry
Background:
- Low-molecular-weight gelators (LMWGs) are crucial for developing advanced soft materials.
- Creating LMWGs that function across diverse solvents (ambidextrous) is challenging due to varying polarity and hydrogen-bonding needs.
- Precise molecular engineering is required for robust self-assembly in varied chemical environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize novel, fluorescent, sugar-based LMWGs.
- To evaluate the gelation capabilities of these LMWGs in a wide range of solvents, including water, organic solvents, and deep eutectic solvents (DES).
- To investigate the structure-property relationships and potential applications of the resulting supramolecular gels.
Main Methods:
- Green and scalable synthesis of functionalized sugar-based molecules (DNapS, DBTDS, MCumS).
- Gelation tests across various solvents: water, organic solvents (varying polarity), and terpene-based/zwitterionic DES.
- Morphological analysis (e.g., fibrous network formation) using techniques like electron microscopy.
- Rheological studies to assess viscoelastic properties and injectability.
Main Results:
- A family of fluorescent LMWGs, including MCumS, was successfully synthesized.
- MCumS demonstrated ambidextrous gelation, forming supramolecular gels in water, alcohols, and hydrophobic DES.
- Morphological studies revealed solvent-dependent network architectures.
- Supramolecular gels formed with zwitterionic DES exhibited enhanced viscoelasticity and injectability.
Conclusions:
- MCumS represents a rare example of an LMWG with broad solvent compatibility for gelation.
- The study expands the scope of fluorescent LMWGs and provides insights into designing versatile supramolecular gel systems.
- These findings pave the way for developing advanced soft materials with tunable properties for diverse applications.
