Nanostructures and Substituent Alkyl Chains Effect on Assembly of Organogels Based on Some Glutamic Acid Diethyl Ester Imide Derivatives

In this paper new glutamic acid diethyl ester imide derivatives with different alkyl substituent chains were designed and synthesized. Their gelation behaviors in 21 solvents were tested as novel low-molecular-mass organic gelators. It was shown that the length of alkyl substituent chains linked to benzene ring in gelators played a crucial role in the gelation behavior of all compounds in various organic solvents. Longer alkyl chains in molecular skeletons in present gelators are favorable for the gelation of organic solvents. SEM and AFM observations revealed that the gelator molecules self-assemble into different aggregates from wrinkle, lamella, belt, to fiber with change of solvents. Spectral studies indicated that there existed different H-bond formations and hydrophobic forces, depending on the alkyl substituent chains in molecular skeletons. The present work may give some insight to design and characterize new versatile organogelators and soft materials with special molecular structures.