Formation of a supramolecular chromophore: a spectroscopic and theoretical study

Spectroscopic and theoretical investigations of the self-assembly of a particular 1,3,5-benzene trisamide-based low molecular weight hydrogelator are described. This trisamide is pH-sensitive, and surprisingly forms a photoluminescent supramolecular hydrogel. Controlled gel formation in combination with the luminescence properties allows studying the self-assembly process in detail. The experimental results are confirmed by Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations, revealing that the photoluminescence originates from the formation of a supramolecular chromophore.