Cavity-Containing Supramolecular Gels as a Crystallization Tool for Hydrophobic Pharmaceuticals

Kaufmann, Lena; Kennedy, Stuart R.; Jones, Christopher D.; Steed, Jonathan W.

Abstract

We present two approaches to low-molecular-weight supramolecular gels bearing hydrophobic cavities based on calixarene-containing building blocks. Gels are formed by a calixarene based tetrahydrazide gelator or a co-gel of a calixarene diammonium salt and a bis-crown ether. The calixarene hydrophobic cavity enables the complexation of hydrophobic drug molecules in a generic fashion thus providing an anchor site on the surface of the gel fibre to inititate drug crystal nucleation and growth. This technique potentially represents a route to growth of hard-to-nucleate polymorphic modifications. The co-gel comprising two components holding together by non-covalent ammonium-crown ether interaction can be easily switched back to the sol state by adding competitive binding cations.

Citation

Kaufmann, L., Kennedy, S. R., Jones, C. D., & Steed, J. W. (2016). Cavity-Containing Supramolecular Gels as a Crystallization Tool for Hydrophobic Pharmaceuticals. Chemical Communications, 52(66), 10113-10116. https://doi.org/10.1039/c6cc04037c

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 29, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Jun 29, 2016
• Publication Date: Aug 25, 2016
• Deposit Date: Jun 30, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 30, 2016
• Journal: Chemical Communications
• Print ISSN: 1359-7345
• Electronic ISSN: 1364-548X
• Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 52
• Issue: 66
• Pages: 10113-10116
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/c6cc04037c
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1380177