Solvent‐Driven Chiral‐Interaction Reversion for Organogel Formation

Abstract

For chiral gels and related applications, one of the critical issues is how to modulate the stereoselective interaction between the gel and the chiral guest precisely, as well as how to translate this information into the macroscopic properties of materials. Herein, we report that this process can also be modulated by nonchiral solvents, which can induce a chiral-interaction reversion for organogel formation. This process could be observed through the clear difference in gelation speed and the morphology of the resulting self-assembly. This chiral effect was successfully applied in the selective separation of quinine enantiomers and imparts "smart" merits to the gel materials.

Multistimuli‐Responsive, Moldable Supramolecular Hydrogels Cross‐Linked by Ultrafast Complexation of Metal Ions and Biopolymers

“…[7] Up to now, much attention has been paid to the design and synthesis of these stimuli-responsive supramolecular hydrogels,i ncluding synthetic polymers [8] and low-molecular-weight gelators (LMWGs). [9] Fore xample,T ong et al have reported ad ual redox-and light-responsive hydrogel system based on the supramolecular complexation between poly(acrylic acid) and ferric ions in the presence of citric acid. [10] Recently we have showed as imilar quadruple stimuli-responsive supramolecular hydrogel based on the LMWG with ferrocenyl groups integrated in the molecular backbones.…”

Smart Polymers with Special Wettability

“…[ 77 ] Intensive studies of this domain may offer an alternative platform utilized in the enantiomeric separations, and further facilitate the understanding of the self-assembly behavior of chiral gelators in natural systems.…”

“…Reproduced with permission. [ 77 ] Copyright 2014, Wiley-VCH. Liquid separation systems made of homogeneous copolymer fi lms with controlled surface wettability.…”

“…More recently, Sun et al tried to put the above concept into practice. [77] They carefully designed a film composed of a dialysis membrane onto which a chiral organogel was immobilized. The permeation rate of (-)-quinine was much faster than that of (+)-quinidine in chloroform (Figure 7b).…”

Dynamic Biointerfaces: From Recognition to Function

“…Recently, our lab tried to solve one of the critical issues about chiral organogels: how to precisely modulate the stereoselective interaction between chiral organogels and chiral guests, as well as how to translate it into the macroscopic properties of materials. [ 64 ] For this purpose, dipeptides were selected as the key unit of gelator owing to their abundant H-bonding sites and programmable sequence combinations (Figure 7 c). A para -disubstituted phenyl group was used to connect two dipeptide arms.…”