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Smith DK. Supramolecular gels - a panorama of low-molecular-weight gelators from ancient origins to next-generation technologies. SOFT MATTER 2023; 20:10-70. [PMID: 38073497 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm01301d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Supramolecular gels, self-assembled from low-molecular-weight gelators (LMWGs), have a long history and a bright future. This review provides an overview of these materials, from their use in lubrication and personal care in the ancient world, through to next-generation technologies. In academic terms, colloid scientists in the 19th and early 20th centuries first understood such gels as being physically assembled as a result of weak interactions, combining a solid-like network having a degree of crystalline order with a highly mobile liquid-like phase. During the 20th century, industrial scientists began using these materials in new applications in the polymer, oil and food industries. The advent of supramolecular chemistry in the late 20th century, with its focus on non-covalent interactions and controlled self-assembly, saw the horizons for these materials shifted significantly beyond their historic rheological applications, expanding their potential. The ability to tune the LMWG chemical structure, manipulate hierarchical assembly, develop multi-component systems, and introduce new types of responsive and interactive behaviour, has been transformative. Furthermore, the dynamics of these materials are increasingly understood, creating metastable gels and transiently-fueled systems. New approaches to shaping and patterning gels are providing a unique opportunity for more sophisticated uses. These supramolecular advances are increasingly underpinning and informing next-generation applications - from drug delivery and regenerative medicine to environmental remediation and sustainable energy. In summary, this article presents a panorama over the field of supramolecular gels, emphasising how both academic and industrial scientists are building on the past, and engaging new fundamental insights and innovative concepts to open up exciting horizons for their future use.
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Affiliation(s)
- David K Smith
- Department of Chemistry, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
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2
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Song X, He S, Zheng J, Yang S, Li Q, Zhang Y. One-Step Construction of Tryptophan-Derived Small Molecule Hydrogels for Antibacterial Materials. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28083334. [PMID: 37110568 PMCID: PMC10141015 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28083334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Amino acid-based hydrogels have received widespread attention because of their wide range of sources, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. Despite considerable progress, the development of such hydrogels has been limited by critical problems such as bacterial infection and complex preparation. Herein, by using the non-toxic gluconolactone (GDL) to adjust the pH of the solution to induce the rapid self-assembly of N-[(benzyloxy)carbonyl]-L-tryptophan (ZW) to form a three-dimensional (3D) gel network, we developed a stable and effective self-assembled small-molecule hydrogel. Characterization assays and molecular dynamics studies indicate that π-π stacking and hydrogen bonding are the main drivers of self-assembly between ZW molecules. In vitro experiments further confirmed this material's sustained release properties, low cytotoxicity, and excellent antibacterial activity, particularly against Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. This study provides a different and innovative perspective for the further development of antibacterial materials based on amino acid derivatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianwen Song
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Micro & Nano Materials Interface Science, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
| | - Shunmei He
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Micro & Nano Materials Interface Science, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
| | - Jun Zheng
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Micro & Nano Materials Interface Science, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
| | - Shutong Yang
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Micro & Nano Materials Interface Science, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
| | - Qiang Li
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Micro & Nano Materials Interface Science, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Micro & Nano Materials Interface Science, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
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3
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O'Donnell A, Salimi S, Hart L, Babra T, Greenland B, Hayes W. Applications of supramolecular polymer networks. REACT FUNCT POLYM 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2022.105209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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4
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Baker B, O'Donnell A, Priya, Hyder M, German I, Hayes W. A supramolecular glass made from a low molecular weight amino acid derivative. Eur Polym J 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2021.110889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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5
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Van Lommel R, De Borggraeve WM, De Proft F, Alonso M. Computational Tools to Rationalize and Predict the Self-Assembly Behavior of Supramolecular Gels. Gels 2021; 7:87. [PMID: 34287290 PMCID: PMC8293097 DOI: 10.3390/gels7030087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Supramolecular gels form a class of soft materials that has been heavily explored by the chemical community in the past 20 years. While a multitude of experimental techniques has demonstrated its usefulness when characterizing these materials, the potential value of computational techniques has received much less attention. This review aims to provide a complete overview of studies that employ computational tools to obtain a better fundamental understanding of the self-assembly behavior of supramolecular gels or to accelerate their development by means of prediction. As such, we hope to stimulate researchers to consider using computational tools when investigating these intriguing materials. In the concluding remarks, we address future challenges faced by the field and formulate our vision on how computational methods could help overcoming them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Van Lommel
- Molecular Design and Synthesis, Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F Leuven Chem & Tech, P.O. Box 2404, 3001 Leuven, Belgium;
- Eenheid Algemene Chemie (ALGC), Department of Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Wim M. De Borggraeve
- Molecular Design and Synthesis, Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F Leuven Chem & Tech, P.O. Box 2404, 3001 Leuven, Belgium;
| | - Frank De Proft
- Eenheid Algemene Chemie (ALGC), Department of Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Mercedes Alonso
- Eenheid Algemene Chemie (ALGC), Department of Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium;
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6
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Tosi F, Berrocal JA, Stuart MCA, Wezenberg SJ, Feringa BL. Tuning of Morphology by Chirality in Self-Assembled Structures of Bis(Urea) Amphiphiles in Water. Chemistry 2021; 27:326-330. [PMID: 32785999 PMCID: PMC7839493 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202003403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
We present the synthesis and self‐assembly of a chiral bis(urea) amphiphile and show that chirality offers a remarkable level of control towards different morphologies. Upon self‐assembly in water, the molecular‐scale chiral information is translated to the mesoscopic level. Both enantiomers of the amphiphile self‐assemble into chiral twisted ribbons with opposite handedness, as supported by Cryo‐TEM and circular dichroism (CD) measurements. The system presents thermo‐responsive aggregation behavior and combined transmittance measurements, temperature‐dependent UV, CD, TEM, and micro‐differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) show that a ribbon‐to‐vesicles transition occurs upon heating. Remarkably, chirality allows easy control of morphology as the self‐assembly into distinct aggregates can be tuned by varying the enantiomeric excess of the amphiphile, giving access to flat sheets, helical ribbons, and twisted ribbons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Tosi
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - José Augusto Berrocal
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marc C A Stuart
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sander J Wezenberg
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ben L Feringa
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
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7
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Hermida-Merino D, Hart LR, Harris PJ, Slark AT, Hamley IW, Hayes W. The effect of chiral end groups on the assembly of supramolecular polyurethanes. Polym Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1039/d1py00714a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We describe the generation of supramolecular polyurethanes and the positive effect that chirality has upon the physical properties of these materials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lewis R. Hart
- Department of Chemistry
- University of Reading
- Reading
- UK
| | - Peter J. Harris
- Electron Microscopy Laboratory
- University of Reading
- Reading
- UK
| | | | - Ian W. Hamley
- Department of Chemistry
- University of Reading
- Reading
- UK
| | - Wayne Hayes
- Department of Chemistry
- University of Reading
- Reading
- UK
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Wu D, Song J, Qu L, Zhou W, Wang L, Zhou X, Xiang H. Ultralow-Molecular-Weight Stimuli-Responsive and Multifunctional Supramolecular Gels Based on Monomers and Trimers of Hydrazides. Chem Asian J 2020; 15:3370-3378. [PMID: 32893975 DOI: 10.1002/asia.202001041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The simpler, the better. A series of simple, neutral and ultralow-molecular-weight (MW: 140-200) hydrazide-derived supramolecular gelators have been designed and synthesized in two straightforward steps. For non-conjugated cyclohexane-derived hydrazides, their monomers can self-assemble to form gels through intermolecular hydrogen bonds and dipole-dipole interactions. Significantly, conjugated phthalhydrazide can self-aggregate into planar and circular trimers through intermolecular hydrogen bonds and then self-assemble to form gels through intermolecular π-π stacking interactions. It is interesting that these simple gelators exhibit unusual properties, such as self-healing, multi-response fluorescence, and visual and selective recognition of chiral (R)/(S)-1,1'-binaphthalene-2,2'-diamine and S2- through much different times of gel re-formation and blue-green color change, respectively. These results underline the importance of supramolecular gels and extend the scope of supramolecular gelators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dehua Wu
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, P. R. China
| | - Jintong Song
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, P. R. China
| | - Lang Qu
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, P. R. China
| | - Weilan Zhou
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, P. R. China
| | - Lei Wang
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, P. R. China
| | - Xiangge Zhou
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, P. R. China
| | - Haifeng Xiang
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, P. R. China
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9
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Edwards W, Smith DK. Chiral Assembly Preferences and Directing Effects in Supramolecular Two-Component Organogels. Gels 2018; 4:gels4020031. [PMID: 30674807 PMCID: PMC6209267 DOI: 10.3390/gels4020031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The impact of chirality on the self-assembly of supramolecular gels is of considerable importance, as molecular-scale programming can be translated into nanostructuring and ultimately affect macroscopic performance. This paper explores the effect of chirality on the assembly of two-component gels comprised of a second-generation dendritic lysine peptide acid, containing three chiral centres, and an amine. This combination forms an acid⁻amine complex that assembles into nanofibres through peptide-peptide hydrogen bonds, leading to organogels. With achiral amines, a racemic mixture of l,l,l and d,d,d dendritic peptide acids surprisingly forms the best gels-more commonly, mixing enantiomers suppresses gelation. Thermodynamic studies demonstrate that depending on the amine, the greater stability of heterochiral gels can either be entropically or enthalpically driven. With amines possessing "R" chirality, the l,l,l peptide acid consistently forms more effective gels than its d,d,d analogue. Furthermore, in mixed gels, l,l,l sometimes imposes its assembly preference onto d,d,d. In summary, this paper demonstrates a rare example in which heterochiral gels are preferred, and also explores directing effects when each component in a two-component gel is chiral.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Edwards
- Department of Chemistry, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK.
| | - David K Smith
- Department of Chemistry, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK.
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10
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11
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Wang S, Liu K, Gao S, Wang J, Marella RK, Fang Y. Dynamic covalent bonding-triggered supramolecular gelation derived from tetrahydroxy-bisurea derivatives. SOFT MATTER 2017; 13:8609-8617. [PMID: 29111549 DOI: 10.1039/c7sm02013a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
A new class of bisurea derivatives bearing tetrahydroxy groups have been proven to be non-gelators in water and various organic solvents even under long-term sonication or efficient heating treatment. We found that it is possible to trigger physical gelation behaviour by constructing dynamic covalent bonding. The results show that formation of dynamic covalent bonding between the borate anion and ethanediol substituent in these bisurea derivatives brings about rapid physical gelation at ambient temperature in a mixture of DMSO and water. During dynamic covalent bonding-triggered gelation, the stepgrowth polymerization from the B-O bonds would increase the size of the molecules and reduce the entropy of mixing as well as facilitate ion-dipole interactions in the linear polymeric gelators. They would drive a self-assembly transition and boost the construction of gel networks in coordination with α-tape urea-urea hydrogen bonding. The gelation mechanism was explored by 1H NMR, FTIR and rheology techniques. Moreover, the resulting gels are transparent and thixotropic, and could be turned into the sol state under CO2 or water-stimulus. Furthermore, they are stable in the presence of HAuCl4 and alkali. Therefore, they would afford another new medium for the growth of Au nanocrystals via in situ reduction and a new sensing medium for detecting Hg2+ ions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suansuan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry (Ministry of Education), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, P. R. China.
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12
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Chen Z, Xing L, Fan Q, Cheetham AG, Lin R, Holt B, Chen L, Xiao Y, Cui H. Drug-Bearing Supramolecular Filament Hydrogels as Anti-Inflammatory Agents. Theranostics 2017; 7:2003-2014. [PMID: 28656057 PMCID: PMC5485419 DOI: 10.7150/thno.19404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Accepted: 03/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
We report here on the covalent conversion of the anti-inflammatory agent ketoprofen into self-assembling prodrugs that enable the effective purification of ketoprofen enantiomers, the improved selectivity and potency of ketoprofen, as well as the formation of one-component drug-bearing supramolecular hydrogels. We found that the ketoprofen hydrogelator could exhibit much-enhanced selectivity for cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) over COX-1, reduce the concentration of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1 and TNFα), and induce apoptosis in fibroblast-like synoviocytes while maintaining biocompatibility with healthy chondrocytes. In addition, these anti-inflammatory agent-containing hydrogels demonstrated the ability to retain the therapeutic within a joint cavity after intra-articular injection, exhibiting a slow, steady release into the plasma. We believe that upon further optimization these drug-based injectable supramolecular hydrogels could provide the basis for a local treatment strategy for rheumatoid arthritis and similar conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhipeng Chen
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Lei Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Qin Fan
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Andrew G. Cheetham
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Ran Lin
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Barbara Holt
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Liwen Chen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Yanyu Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Honggang Cui
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Department of Oncology and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Center for Nanomedicine, The Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 400 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
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Raghava SV, Gopinath P, Srivastava BK, Ramkumar V, Muraleedharan KM. Sulfamide-Lattice Restructuring To Form Dimensionally Controlled Molecular Arrays and Gel-Forming Systems. Chemistry 2017; 23:3658-3665. [PMID: 28004423 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201604911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
A design approach that incorporates structural requirements for the formation of a 1D assembly, fibril stability, and fibril-fibril interactions for gelation was attempted by using amino acid-based sulfamides with the general structure Aa-NH-SO2 -NH-Aa (Aa=amino acid). A preference for 1D assembly alone was not a sufficient condition for gelation, which became evident from studies involving sulfamide esters 1-5. Reducing the crystallization tendency without hindering unidirectional growth was executed through diacids of the sulfamide precursors with various amines that form an envelope around the sulfamide core through salt bridges. This strategy was fruitful, and gels of a wide variety of solvents could be formed by varying the acid and amine components. The use of dodecylamine or benzylamine, which could stabilize the molecular layers through alkyl-chain segregation or π-π interactions improved the gelation tendency, whereas the nature of the amino acid side chain, especially the rotational freedom and hydrophobicity, had a direct role in dictating the solvent preference. Crystallographic studies of these two-component systems gave molecular-level insight into the assembly and showed the importance of anisotropy in the distribution of secondary interactions in gelation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saripalli V Raghava
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai-, 600036, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Pushparathinam Gopinath
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai-, 600036, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Bhartendu K Srivastava
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai-, 600036, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Venkatachalam Ramkumar
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai-, 600036, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Kannoth M Muraleedharan
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai-, 600036, Tamil Nadu, India
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Wezenberg SJ, Croisetu CM, Stuart MCA, Feringa BL. Reversible gel-sol photoswitching with an overcrowded alkene-based bis-urea supergelator. Chem Sci 2016; 7:4341-4346. [PMID: 30155080 PMCID: PMC6013809 DOI: 10.1039/c6sc00659k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A new type of low-molecular-weight gelator (LMWG), i.e. overcrowded alkene-based bis-ureas, can be switched effectively between cis and trans isomers using light as demonstrated by 1H NMR and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Gelation studies reveal that one of the synthesized trans compounds forms stable gels in aromatic hydrocarbon solvents down to a critical concentration of 0.4 mg mL-1. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) shows that this gel consists of an entangled fibrous network. For the trans isomer of this LMWG intermolecular urea hydrogen bonding is observed in the solid state, whereas density functional theory (DFT) geometry optimization of the cis isomer indicates the possible formation of an intramolecular hydrogen bond. Irradiation of the gel triggers trans-to-cis isomerization and consequently, a gel-sol phase transition. This process can be fully reversed by altering the irradiation wavelength.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sander J Wezenberg
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry , University of Groningen , Nijenborgh 4 , 9747 AG , Groningen , The Netherlands . ;
| | - Christelle M Croisetu
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry , University of Groningen , Nijenborgh 4 , 9747 AG , Groningen , The Netherlands . ;
| | - Marc C A Stuart
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry , University of Groningen , Nijenborgh 4 , 9747 AG , Groningen , The Netherlands . ;
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute , University of Groningen , Nijenborgh 7 , 9747 AG , Groningen , The Netherlands
| | - Ben L Feringa
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry , University of Groningen , Nijenborgh 4 , 9747 AG , Groningen , The Netherlands . ;
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15
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Baker BC, Higgins CL, Ravishankar D, Colquhoun HM, Stevens GC, Greco F, Greenland BW, Hayes W. Multifunctional, Biocompatible, Non-peptidic Hydrogels: from Water Purification to Drug Delivery. ChemistrySelect 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/slct.201600249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin C. Baker
- Department of Chemistry; University of Reading; Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AD UK
| | - Clare L. Higgins
- Department of Chemistry; University of Reading; Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AD UK
| | | | - Howard M. Colquhoun
- Department of Chemistry; University of Reading; Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AD UK
| | - Gary C. Stevens
- Gnosys Global Ltd.; 17-18 Frederick Sanger Road Guildford, Surrey GU2 7YD UK
| | - Francesca Greco
- School of Pharmacy; University of Reading; Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AP UK
| | | | - Wayne Hayes
- Department of Chemistry; University of Reading; Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AD UK
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16
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Bhattacharjee S, Maiti B, Bhattacharya S. First report of charge-transfer induced heat-set hydrogel. Structural insights and remarkable properties. NANOSCALE 2016; 8:11224-11233. [PMID: 27187776 DOI: 10.1039/c6nr01128d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The remarkable ability of a charge-transfer (CT) complex prepared from a pyrene-based donor (Py-D) and a naphthalenediimide-based acceptor (NDI-A) led to the formation of a deep-violet in color, transparent hydrogel at room temperature (RT-gel). Simultaneously, the RT-gel was diluted beyond its critical gelator concentration (CGC) to obtain a transparent sol. Very interestingly, the resultant sol, on heating above 70 °C, transformed into a heat-set gel instantaneously with a hitherto unknown CGC value. Detailed studies revealed the smaller globular aggregates of the RT-gels fuse to form giant globules upon heating, which, in turn, resulted in heat-set gelation through further aggregation. The thermoresponsive property of Py-D alone and 1 : 1 Py-D : NDI-A CT complex was investigated in detail which revealed the hydrophobic collapse of the oxyethylene chains of the CT complex upon heating was mainly responsible for heat-set gelation. Thixotropy, injectability, as well as stimuli responsiveness of the RT-gels were also addressed. In contrast, heat-set gel did not show thixotropic behavior. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the xerogel depicted lamellar packing of the CT stacks in the gel phase. Single crystal XRD studies further evidenced the 1 : 1 mixed CT stack formation in the lamellae and also ruled out orthogonal hydrogen bonding possibilities among the hydrazide unit in the CT gel although such interaction was observed in a single crystal of NDI-A alone. In addition, a Ag(+)-ion triggered metallogelation of NDI-A and nematic liquid-crystalline property of Py-D were also observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subham Bhattacharjee
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
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Dubarle-Offner J, Moussa J, Amouri H, Jouvelet B, Bouteiller L, Raynal M. Induced Circular Dichroism in Phosphine Gold(I) Aryl Acetylide Urea Complexes through Hydrogen-Bonded Chiral Co-Assemblies. Chemistry 2016; 22:3985-90. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.201504441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2015] [Revised: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Julien Dubarle-Offner
- Sorbonne Universités; UPMC Univ Paris 06; CNRS; Institut Parisien de Chimie Moléculaire; 4 Place Jussieu 75005 Paris France
| | - Jamal Moussa
- Sorbonne Universités; UPMC Univ Paris 06; CNRS; Institut Parisien de Chimie Moléculaire; 4 Place Jussieu 75005 Paris France
| | - Hani Amouri
- Sorbonne Universités; UPMC Univ Paris 06; CNRS; Institut Parisien de Chimie Moléculaire; 4 Place Jussieu 75005 Paris France
| | - Benjamin Jouvelet
- Sorbonne Universités; UPMC Univ Paris 06; CNRS; Institut Parisien de Chimie Moléculaire; 4 Place Jussieu 75005 Paris France
| | - Laurent Bouteiller
- Sorbonne Universités; UPMC Univ Paris 06; CNRS; Institut Parisien de Chimie Moléculaire; 4 Place Jussieu 75005 Paris France
| | - Matthieu Raynal
- Sorbonne Universités; UPMC Univ Paris 06; CNRS; Institut Parisien de Chimie Moléculaire; 4 Place Jussieu 75005 Paris France
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18
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Du X, Zhou J, Shi J, Xu B. Supramolecular Hydrogelators and Hydrogels: From Soft Matter to Molecular Biomaterials. Chem Rev 2015; 115:13165-307. [PMID: 26646318 PMCID: PMC4936198 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.5b00299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1278] [Impact Index Per Article: 142.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In this review we intend to provide a relatively comprehensive summary of the work of supramolecular hydrogelators after 2004 and to put emphasis particularly on the applications of supramolecular hydrogels/hydrogelators as molecular biomaterials. After a brief introduction of methods for generating supramolecular hydrogels, we discuss supramolecular hydrogelators on the basis of their categories, such as small organic molecules, coordination complexes, peptides, nucleobases, and saccharides. Following molecular design, we focus on various potential applications of supramolecular hydrogels as molecular biomaterials, classified by their applications in cell cultures, tissue engineering, cell behavior, imaging, and unique applications of hydrogelators. Particularly, we discuss the applications of supramolecular hydrogelators after they form supramolecular assemblies but prior to reaching the critical gelation concentration because this subject is less explored but may hold equally great promise for helping address fundamental questions about the mechanisms or the consequences of the self-assembly of molecules, including low molecular weight ones. Finally, we provide a perspective on supramolecular hydrogelators. We hope that this review will serve as an updated introduction and reference for researchers who are interested in exploring supramolecular hydrogelators as molecular biomaterials for addressing the societal needs at various frontiers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuewen Du
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Jie Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Junfeng Shi
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
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19
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Hermida-Merino D, Trebbin M, Foerster S, Rodriguez-Llansola F, Portale G. Microfluidic Assisted Self-Assembly of pH-Sensitive Low-Molecular Weight Hydrogelators Close to the Minimum Gelation Concentration. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/masy.201500032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Hermida-Merino
- DUBBLE CRG BM26 ESRF; Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research; ESRF-The European Synchrotron, 71, Avenue des Martyrs Grenoble France
- Dutch Polymer Institute DPI; P.O. Box 902 Eindhoven 5600 AX The Netherlands
| | - Martin Trebbin
- Department of Physics; University of Hamburg, Centre for Ultrafast Imaging (CUI); Hamburg Germany
| | - Stefan Foerster
- Physical Chemistry I; University of Bayreuth; Bayreuth 95447 Germany
| | - Francisco Rodriguez-Llansola
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems and Laboratory of Macromolecular and Organic Chemistry; Eindhoven University of Technology; P.O. Box 513 Eindhoven 5600 MB The Netherlands
| | - Giuseppe Portale
- DUBBLE CRG BM26 ESRF; Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research; ESRF-The European Synchrotron, 71, Avenue des Martyrs Grenoble France
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20
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Marlow M, Al-Ameedee M, Smith T, Wheeler S, Stocks MJ. Linifanib--a multi-targeted receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor and a low molecular weight gelator. Chem Commun (Camb) 2015; 51:6384-7. [PMID: 25761611 DOI: 10.1039/c5cc00454c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
In this study we demonstrate that linifanib, a multi-targeted receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, with a key urea containing pharmacophore, self-assembles into a hydrogel in the presence of low amounts of solvent. We demonstrate the role of the urea functional group and that of fluorine substitution on the adjacent aromatic ring in promoting self-assembly. We have also shown that linifanib has superior mechanical strength to two structurally related analogues and hence increased potential for localisation at an injection site for drug delivery applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Marlow
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
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21
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Sato H, Yajima T, Yamagishi A. Chiroptical Studies on Supramolecular Chirality of Molecular Aggregates. Chirality 2015; 27:659-66. [DOI: 10.1002/chir.22482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2015] [Revised: 06/04/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hisako Sato
- Graduated of Science and Engineering; Ehime University; Matsuyama Japan
| | - Tomoko Yajima
- Department of Chemistry; Ochanomizu University; Tokyo Japan
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22
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Datta S, Bhattacharya S. Differential response of cholesterol based pyrimidine systems with oxyethylene type spacers to gelation and mesogen formation in the presence of alkali metal ions. SOFT MATTER 2015; 11:1945-1953. [PMID: 25619339 DOI: 10.1039/c4sm02792b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
A new series of lipophilic cholesteryl derivatives of 2,4,6-trichloro-pyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde has been synthesized. Oxyethylene spacers of variable lengths were inserted between the hydrogen bonding promoting pyrimidine core and the cholesteryl tail in order to understand their effect on the self-assembly of these compounds. Only compound 1a with the shortest spacer formed a gel in organic solvents such as n-butanol and n-dodecane. While other members (1b and c) having longer spacers led to sol formation and precipitation in n-butanol and n-dodecane respectively. The self-assembly phenomena associated with the gelation process were investigated using temperature-dependent UV-Vis and CD-spectroscopy. The morphological features of the freeze-dried gels obtained from different organic solvents were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The solid phase behaviours of these molecules and their associated alkali metal ion complexes were explored using polarized optical microscopy (POM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The molecular arrangements in the xerogel and in the solid state were further probed using a wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) technique. Analysis of the wide-angle X-ray diffraction data reveals that this class of molecules adopts a hexagonal columnar organization in the gel and in the solid state. Each slice of these hexagonal columnar structures is composed of a dimeric molecular-assembly as a building block. Significant changes in the conformation of the oxyethylene chains could be triggered via the coordination of selected alkali metal ions. This led to the production of interesting metal ion promoted mesogenic behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sougata Datta
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012, Karnataka, India.
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23
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Baker B, Acton A, Stevens G, Hayes W. Bis amide-aromatic-ureas—highly effective hydro- and organogelator systems. Tetrahedron 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tet.2014.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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24
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Kleinsmann AJ, Weckenmann NM, Nachtsheim BJ. Phosphate-Triggered Self-Assembly ofN-[(Uracil-5-yl)methyl]urea: A Minimalistic Urea-Derived Hydrogelator. Chemistry 2014; 20:9753-61. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.201402916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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25
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Lascialfari L, Berti D, Brandi A, Cicchi S, Mannini M, Pescitelli G, Procacci P. Chiral/ring closed vs. achiral/open chain triazine-based organogelators: induction and amplification of supramolecular chirality in organic gels. SOFT MATTER 2014; 10:3762-3770. [PMID: 24733431 DOI: 10.1039/c4sm00354c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to compare the gelling behavior of two molecules: a chiral compound and its achiral counterpart. The chiral partner is characterized by a rigid, chiral pyrrolidine nucleus, while the achiral one contains a flexible diethanolamine moiety. The chiral compound is an already known good organogelator, but also the achiral compound shows remarkable gelling properties. Very interestingly, a small fraction of the chiral compound induces chirality and strong CD effects in its aggregates with the achiral one. The observed chirality amplification corresponds to a peculiar sergeant-and-soldier effect. Molecular modelling and CD calculations suggested a model for the supramolecular assembly of hetero-aggregates that fits the experimental data.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Lascialfari
- Department of Chemistry, Università di Firenze, Via della lastruccia 3-13, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino-Fi, Italy.
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26
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Xie P, Liu X, Cheng R, Wu Y, Deng J. pH-Sensitive Chiral Hydrogels Consisting of Poly(N-acryloyl-l-alanine) and β-Cyclodextrin: Preparation and Enantiodifferentiating Adsorption and Release Ability. Ind Eng Chem Res 2014. [DOI: 10.1021/ie500538x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Peng Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Organic−Inorganic
Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Xuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Organic−Inorganic
Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Ru Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Organic−Inorganic
Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Youping Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Organic−Inorganic
Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Jianping Deng
- State
Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Materials
Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
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27
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Basak S, Bhattacharya S, Datta A, Banerjee A. Charge-Transfer Complex Formation in Gelation: The Role of Solvent Molecules with Different Electron-Donating Capacities. Chemistry 2014; 20:5721-6. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.201303889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2013] [Revised: 01/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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28
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Edwards W, Smith DK. Enantioselective Component Selection in Multicomponent Supramolecular Gels. J Am Chem Soc 2014; 136:1116-24. [DOI: 10.1021/ja411724r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- William Edwards
- Department of Chemistry, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10
5DD, U.K
| | - David K. Smith
- Department of Chemistry, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10
5DD, U.K
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29
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Rizzo C, D'Anna F, Marullo S, Vitale P, Noto R. Two-Component Hydrogels Formed by Cyclodextrins and Dicationic Imidazolium Salts. European J Org Chem 2013. [DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201301428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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30
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Bhattacharjee S, Datta S, Bhattacharya S. Remarkable Regioisomer Control in the Hydrogel Formation from a Two‐Component Mixture of Pyridine‐End Oligo(
p
‐phenylenevinylene)s and
N
‐Decanoyl‐
L
‐alanine. Chemistry 2013; 19:16672-81. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.201302100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2013] [Revised: 09/09/2013] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Subham Bhattacharjee
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012 (India), Fax: (+91) 80‐23600529
| | - Sougata Datta
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012 (India), Fax: (+91) 80‐23600529
| | - Santanu Bhattacharya
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012 (India), Fax: (+91) 80‐23600529
- Honorary Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, Jakkur 560064 (India)
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31
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Bajaj N, Hart LR, Greenland BW, Hayes W. Urea Organogelators - Synthesis and Properties. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.1002/masy.201200103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Natish Bajaj
- Department of Chemistry; University of Reading; Whiteknights Reading RG6 6AD UK
| | - Lewis R. Hart
- Department of Chemistry; University of Reading; Whiteknights Reading RG6 6AD UK
| | | | - Wayne Hayes
- Department of Chemistry; University of Reading; Whiteknights Reading RG6 6AD UK
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32
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