<scp>l</scp>‐Valine Derivatised 1,3,5‐Benzene‐Tricarboxamides as Building Blocks for a New Supramolecular Organogel‐Like Alignment Medium

Abstract

We were previously able to demonstrate that mesogens self‐assembled from small molecules, more specifically 1,3,5‐benzene‐tricarboxamides (BTAs), are capable of forming lyotropic liquid crystalline phases in chloroform and CCl 4 , which are suitable for use as alignment media for small organic molecules. In this context, however, it became quickly apparent that one major limitation of such systems arises from the disruption of the self‐assembly process by certain analytes. Here, we present a modified version of our original BTA‐monomers, containing an additional l ‐valine moiety. Through this modification, the number of available hydrogen‐bond acceptors/donators per monomer is doubled, resulting in vastly increased stability. The new system thus obtained exhibits anisotropic properties at much lower concentrations of BTA and allows for the determination of residual dipolar couplings for previously incompatible analytes like isopinocampheol (IPC). Interestingly, the BTA system exhibits the properties of an organogel rather than of a liquid crystal. This is thus the first report of the use of an organogel‐like alignment medium.