A Dendron Based on Natural Amino Acids: Synthesis and Behavior as an Organogelator and Lyotropic Liquid Crystal

Abstract

From linear to dendritic: Glycine is part of the predominant sequence in collagen proteins, and aspartate is similar to the repeating unit of poly(benzyl glutamate)s (PBG)s. Collagen and PBGs are linear peptides that self-organize into fibers and form liquid-crystalline phases and gel solvents. How would a molecule self-assemble if it was built by arranging Gly-Asp units in a dendritic way (see picture)? A dendron as both gelator and liquid crystal?