Molecular recognition through divalent interactions with a self-assembled fibrillar network of a supramolecular organogel

Abstract

The interaction of phenol derivatives with the self-assembled fibrillar network of two different supramolecular gels has been studied. NMR relaxometry reveals the selective interaction of resorcinol over other related molecules with a gel formed by the gelator 2 which contains terminal pyridine units. No selectivity is observed for a related gelator that contains phenyl instead of pyridine moieties. The selectivity observed by NMR experiments permits the selective suppression of the ¹H NMR signals of resorcinol. This behaviour is translated to macroscopic properties such as the thermal stability of the gels. The observed selectivity together with X-ray diffraction data and molecular modelling suggest that the gels formed by 2 present arrays of pyridine H-bond acceptor groups capable of selective multivalent interaction with phenolic substrates.