Low-Molecular-Weight Organogelators Based on N-dodecanoyl-L-amino Acids—Energy Frameworks and Supramolecular Synthons

Lauric acid was used to synthesize the low-molecular-weight organogelators (LMOGs), derivatives of two endogenous (L)-alanine, (L)-leucine, and three exogenous (L)-valine, (L)-phenylalanine, and (L)-proline amino acids. The nature of processes responsible for the gel formation both in polar and in apolar solvents of such compounds is still under investigation. Knowing that the organization of surfactant molecules affects the properties of nano scale materials and gels, we decided to elucidate this problem using crystallographic diffraction and energy frameworks analysis. The single crystals of the mentioned compounds were produced successfully from heptane/tBuOMe mixture. The compounds form lamellar self-assemblies in crystals. The energetic landscapes of single crystals of a series of studied amphiphilic gelators have been analyzed to explore the gelling properties. The presented results may be used as model systems to understand which supramolecular interactions observed in the solid state and what energy contributions are desired in the designing of new low-molecular-weight organic gelators.