Novel resorcinarene-based pH-triggered gelator

Chemical Communications Pub Date: 2002-10-28 DOI: 10.1039/B203462J

Abstract

Iminodiacetate resorc[4]arene is shown to produce gels that are pH-reversible. The gels formed are clear and stable to inversion. (The gels are not stable above a certain temperature, which varies with concentration.) When the pH of an iminodiacetate resorc[4]arene solution (concentration >7.6 mM) is lowered to below 2.5, which is near one of the Ka values of the molecule, the dissolved molecules aggregate and cause gelation of water. 1H NMR showed that at the pH of gelation a change occurs in the chemical environment of the iminodiacetate group. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the gel is composed of long strands that interweave and create a molecular mesh.

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