Gelation properties of terpyridine gluconic acid derivatives and their reversible stimuli-responsive white light emitting solution

Two gluconic acid derivatives C3 and C6 bearing a terpyridyl moiety were designed and synthesized. Thanks to the hydrophilic interaction from glucosyl moiety, C3 and C6 can dissolve in polar solvents and gel aromatic solvents with a critical gel concentration of weight 1.5%. The solution consisting of organic ligand C3 as sensitizer and Ln(III) ions as emitters can realize white light emission with thermo- and chemical stimuli-response properties in luminescence spectra. Further, the self-assemblies of C3 and C6 were examined by the combination of the theoretical calculations via hybrid density functional theory (DFT) with 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1HNMR) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis. The study actually provides a reliable method for the formation of potential functional smart materials.