Iodide sensing has a crucial role in clinical research and synthetic chemistry. However, its detection using small molecular receptors is not well explored compared to metal‐organic framework systems, which are laborious to synthesize and characterize. Here, we report the facile synthesis and selective detection of iodide by a series of substituted benzoate‐linked 4,6‐ O ‐benzylidene‐ N ‐glucosylamines exhibiting good gelation with aliphatic and aromatic solvents (0.5%w/v CGC in aromatic solvents) and gel‐sol transition in the presence of iodide (0.3%w/v) without external interference. The self‐assembly systems were characterized through FE‐SEM, DSC, variable temperature 1 H NMR studies, and DFT calculations, where the driving force for gel formation was found to be H‐bonding, π ‐ π stacking, and van der Waals force of interactions. The solution phase iodide sensing was done using colorimetry, UV‐Vis spectroscopy, and 1 H NMR titration, where the iodide–sugar interaction was found to be through CH···I − and Hbonding, again supported by DFT calculations.
Pradhan et al. (Wed,) studied this question.