Self-assembly of a new C60 compound with a L-glutamid-derived lipid unit: formation of organogels and hierarchically structured spherical particles

Abstract

A new C₆₀-based low-molecular weight gelator (LMWG 1) with a L-glutamid-derived lipid unit was synthesized and characterized. LMWG 1 can gel toluene, p-xylene and benzene. Moreover, its gelation ability can be further enhanced by addition of an exTTF derivative (compound 2), for which the intermolecular interaction between the C₆₀ unit in 1 and the exTTF unit in 2 is responsible based on the absorption and NOE difference ¹H-NMR spectral studies. Additionally, gelation-induced CD signals are observed for the gel with LMWG 1 and that of LMWG 1 doped with compound 2. Further studies indicate that the self-assembly structures of LMWG 1 in the gel phases can be modulated by the addition of compound 2. In addition, the self-assembly of LMWG 1 in DMSO leads to spherical particles of several microns in size, and the surfaces of these spherical particles are hierarchically structured with nano-fibers. Moreover, the thin-film of spherical particles exhibits water-repellent hydrophobicity.