Tag Archives: organogels

Organogels studied by NMR

Studies on cycloalkane‐based bisamide organogelators: A new example of stochastic chiral symmetry breaking induced by sonication

Ortuno, R. M., Pi-Boleda, B., Sans, M., Campos, M., Nolis, P., Illa, O., Estévez, J. C. and Branchadell, V. (2016), Chem. Eur. J.. Accepted Author Manuscript. doi:10.1002/chem.201604818

Enantiomerically pure C16-alkyl amides derived from cis and trans cycloalkane-1,2-dicarboxylic acids, respectively, have been synthesized and their behaviour as organogelators has been investigated. These compounds include cis/trans diastereomeric cyclobutane and cyclohexane derivatives with the aim to explore the influence of the ring size as well as the relative configuration in their hierarchical self-assembly to form gels. High resolution 1H NMR spectroscopy studies allowed the determination of the dynamics of the gelation process in [D8]-toluene and the sol-gel transition temperature. The morphology and size of the aggregates have been investigated and results have shown that, in the case of cyclobutane derivatives, the cis/trans stereochemistry is not relevant for the gelation behaviour and the properties of the soft-materials obtained, but it is remarkable for cyclohexane diamides, which are better organogelators. The four compounds produce chiral aggregates despite that two of them are meso achiral molecules. We show in this work that this fact is an example of stochastic symmetry breaking induced by sonication. The self-assembly of these molecules has been modelled providing information and support about the structure and the chirality of the aggregates.

Gelation process followed by NMR

Journal cover: Organic & Biomolecular ChemistryLow-molecular-weight gelators consisting of hybrid cyclobutane-based peptides, by Sergi Celis, Pau Nolis, Ona Illa, Vicenç Branchadell, Rosa M. Ortuño, Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry 2013, 11, 2839 DOI: 10.1039/c3ob27347d

Some hybrid tetrapeptides consisting of (1R,2S)-2-aminocyclobutane-1-carboxylic acid and glycine, β-alanine, or γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) joined in alternation, compounds 1–3, respectively, have been investigated to gain information on the non-covalent interactions responsible for their self-assembly to form ordered aggregates, as well as on parameters such as their morphology and size. All three peptides formed nice gels in many organic solvents and significant difference in their behaviour was not observed. Continue reading Gelation process followed by NMR

Trans-cyclobutane β-dipeptides form organogels

“Self-Assembly of trans-Cyclobutane-Containing β-Dipeptides into Ordered Aggregates”,by E. Gorrea, P. Nolis, E. Torres, E. Da Silva, D. Amabilino, V. Branchadell and R. Ortuño; Chemistry – A European Journal, Volume 17, Issue 16, pages 4588–4597, April 11, 2011. DOI: 10.1002/chem.201002193

Two chiral synthetic β-dipeptides have been constructed, one with two trans-cyclobutane residues and the other with one trans and one cis fragment, 1 and 2, respectively, and investigated to get insight into the non-covalent interactions responsible for their self-assembly to form ordered aggregates, as well into parameters such as their morphology and size. Continue reading Trans-cyclobutane β-dipeptides form organogels