Supramolecular Assembly of pH-Sensitive Triphenylene Derived pi Gelators and Their Application as Molecular Template for the Preparation of Silica Nanotubes

IGNACIO MUÑOZ RESTA; VERONICA E. MANZANO; FLORENCIA CECCHI; CARLA C. SPAGNUOLO; FABIO D CUKIERNIK; PABLO DI CHENNA

Gels

MDPI

Lugar: Basilea; Año: 2016 vol. 2 p. 7 - 20

2310-2861

The gelation properties and mode of self-assembly of six asymmetrical hexaether triphenylene derivatives mono-functionalized with carboxylic and primary amine groups were investigated. The presence of a carboxylic and amine group attached to the triphenylene core generated stable, thermo- and pH-sensitive supramolecular π-organogels with a reversible response to both stimuli. In order to understand the gelation process, we studied the effect of the spacer length and found a different gelation scope for the acid and basic derivatives that accounts for a different supramolecular self-assembly. The presence of the basic group on the amino derivatives was used to guide and catalyze the templated in situ sol-gel polymerization of TEOS and allowed us, under controlled hydrolytic conditions, to prepare an entangled fibrillar network of silica nanotubes.