Synthesis and Analysis of Potential Low Molecular Mass Gelators with Liquid Crystalline Properties
Abstract
Low molecular mass gelators (LMGs) are small organic compounds that spontaneously form thermoreversible fiber networks within a solvent, entrapping the solvent to create a gel. The intermolecular interactions seen in LMGs are similar to the interactions made by compounds that can occupy a liquid crystalline state. Due to their similarities, a novel hydrazide-based polycatener compound was designed with the hope that it will possess gelation and/or liquid crystalline properties. This compound, plus five similar derivatives, were synthesized by coupling isoniazid or 2-picolinyl hydrazide with commercially available alkoxybenzoic acids or synthesized 3,4,5-(dodecyloxy)benzoic acid by use of the coupling agent HATU. Some preliminary polarized microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry analysis proved at least one synthesized derivative can occupy a liquid crystal state. Once gelation studies are conducted on our synthesized derivatives, the small structural differences between derivatives will further illustrate how these differences affects the compounds’ macroscopic properties.