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Halogen-Bonding-Triggered Supramolecular Gel Formation

Meazza, L.; Foster, J.A.; Fucke, K.; Metrangolo, P.; Resnati, G.; Steed, J.W.

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Authors

L. Meazza

J.A. Foster

K. Fucke

P. Metrangolo

G. Resnati



Abstract

Supramolecular gels are topical soft materials involving the reversible formation of fibrous aggregates using non-covalent interactions. There is significant interest in controlling the properties of such materials by the formation of multicomponent systems, which exhibit non-additive properties emerging from interaction of the components. The use of hydrogen bonding to assemble supramolecular gels in organic solvents is well established. In contrast, the use of halogen bonding to trigger supramolecular gel formation in a two-component gel (‘co-gel’) is essentially unexplored, and forms the basis for this study. Here, we show that halogen bonding between a pyridyl substituent in a bis(pyridyl urea) and 1,4-diiodotetrafluorobenzene brings about gelation, even in polar media such as aqueous methanol and aqueous dimethylsulfoxide. This demonstrates that halogen bonding is sufficiently strong to interfere with competing gel-inhibitory interactions and create a ‘tipping point’ in gel assembly. Using this concept, we have prepared a halogen bond donor bis(urea) gelator that forms co-gels with halogen bond acceptors.

Citation

Meazza, L., Foster, J., Fucke, K., Metrangolo, P., Resnati, G., & Steed, J. (2013). Halogen-Bonding-Triggered Supramolecular Gel Formation. Nature Chemistry, 5(1), 42-47. https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.1496

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Jan 1, 2013
Deposit Date Mar 26, 2013
Publicly Available Date Apr 26, 2013
Journal Nature Chemistry
Print ISSN 1755-4330
Electronic ISSN 1755-4349
Publisher Nature Research
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 5
Issue 1
Pages 42-47
DOI https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.1496
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1481866

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