A novel low-molecular-mass gelator with a redox active ferrocenyl group: Tuning gel formation by oxidation

A novel low-molecular-mass gelator containing a redox-active ferrocenyl group, cholesteryl glycinate ferrocenoylamide (CGF), was intentionally designed and prepared. It was demonstrated that the gelator gels 13 out of the 45 solvents tested. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements revealed that the gelator self-assembled into different supramolecular network structures in different gels. Chemical oxidation of the ferrocenyl residue resulted in phase transition of the gel from gel state to solution state. FTIR and 1H NMR spectroscopy studies revealed that hydrogen bonding between the gelator molecules in the gel was one of the main driving forces for the formation of the gels.

Graphical abstractA novel low-molecular-mass organic gelator containing a ferrocenyl group was prepared, and it was found that chemical oxidation of the ferrocenyl residue resulted in dissolution of a gel of ethyl acetate containing the gelator.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide