Volume 11 Issue 2
Supramolecular Gold Metallogelators: The Key Role of Metallophilic Interactions
João Carlos Lima andLaura Rodríguez
1REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química, Centro de Química Fina e Biotecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Quinta da Torre, 2825 Monte de Caparica, Portugal
2Departament de Química Inorgànica, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1-11, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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Abstract
Gold metallogelators is an emerging area of research. The number of results published in the literature is still scarce. The majority of these gels is observed in organic solvents, and the potential applications are still to be explored. In this work, we present an overview about gold metallogelators divided in two different groups depending on the type of solvent used in the gelation process (organogelators and hydrogelators). A careful analysis of the data shows that aurophilic interactions are a common motif directly involved in gelation involving Au(I) complexes. There are also some Au(III) derivatives able to produce gels but in this case the organic ligands determine the aggregation process. A last section is included about the potential applications that have been reported until now with this new and amazing class of supramolecular assemblies.
Keywords: gold; gels; supramolecular; aurophilic interactions; applications