Fluorine Effect in the Gelation Ability of Low Molecular Weight Gelators

Gels

Claudia Tomasini¹  Paolo Ravarino¹  Demetra Giuri¹  Davide Faccio¹  Giuseppe Falini¹  Nadia Di Domenico¹  Marianna Barbalinardo² 

[1] Dipartimento di Chimica Giacomo Ciamician, Università di Bologna, Via Selmi, 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy;Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, (ISMN-CNR)-Via P. Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy;

关键词: fibers;    fluorine atom;    gelator;    supramolecular gel;    thixotropy;    transparency;   

DOI  :  10.3390/gels8020098

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The three gelators presented in this work (Boc-D-Phe-L-Oxd-OH F0, Boc-D-F₁Phe-L-Oxd-OH F1 and Boc-D-F₂Phe-L-Oxd-OH F2) share the same scaffold and differ in the number of fluorine atoms linked to the aromatic ring of phenylalanine. They have been applied to the preparation of gels in 0.5% or 1.0% w/v concentration, using three methodologies: solvent switch, pH change and calcium ions addition. The general trend is an increased tendency to form structured materials from F0 to F1 and F2. This property ends up in the formation of stronger materials when fluorine atoms are present. Some samples, generally formed by F1 or F2 in 0.5% w/v concentration, show high transparency but low mechanical properties. Two gels, both containing fluorine atoms, show increased stiffness coupled with high transparency. The biocompatibility of the gelators was assessed exposing them to fibroblast cells and demonstrated that F1 and F2 are not toxic to cells even in high concentration, while F0 is not toxic to cells only in a low concentration. In conclusion, the presence of even only one fluorine atom improves all the gelators properties: the gelation ability of the compound, the rheological properties and the transparency of the final materials and the gelator biocompatibility.

【 授权许可】

Unknown