Self-assembly of amino-acid-based dendrons: Organogels and lyotropic and thermotropic liquid crystals

A study was conducted to synthesized the two similar dendrons with different focal groups and to investigate their mesophase behavior, such as gels and liquid crystals. The dendritic portion was based on two natural amino acids of glycine and aspartic acid were synthesized. It was found that both of the modified dendrons gelled common organic solvents, but with different structures of molecular packing. It was investigated that one of the dendron exhibits versatile properties of lyotropic and thermotropic liquid crystals. The structure of the dendron focal point has a huge influence on the gelation behavior. The morphology of the xerogels of two dendrons was examined under transmission electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction experiments on the xerogel were performed to elucidate the possible molecular packing patterns of the gels form dendrons. It is concluded that dendron displays gel, lyotropic,and thermotropic Liquid crystal states with a hexagonal columnar arrangement.