Probing Gelation at the Molecular Level: Head‐to‐Tail Hydrogen‐Bonded Self‐Assembly of an Inositol‐Based Organogelator

A simple cyclitol derivative has been found to gelate many low‐polar solvents. A detailed molecular level investigation demonstrated that the intermolecular head‐to‐tail hydrogen bond plays a key role in the self‐assembly of the monomers to generate supramolecular polymeric fibres. Such self‐assembled oligomeric forms could be detected even in a competing protic solvent. Control experiments further established that optimally oriented hydroxy groups and chirality are the crucial factors for the gelation. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004)