Supramolecular Synthon Transferability and Gelation by Diprimary Ammonium Monocarboxylate Salts

Earlier studies revealed that primary ammonium dicarboxylate
(PAD) salts possessed gelling ability, and many such
salts
displayed a 1D columnar hydrogen bonded network (observed in primary
ammonium monocarboxylate (PAM) salts) on either side
of the dicarboxylate end of the anion. In the present study, a new
series of diprimary ammonium monocarboxyate (DPAM) salts
have been prepared with the aim of achieving supramolecular synthon
transferability (the same 1D columnar hydrogen PAM bonded
network on either side of the diammonium cation) in these salts. Single
crystal X-ray diffraction studies revealed that, in 47% of the DPAM salts, such supramolecular synthon transferability indeed
took place. Some of the DPAM salts also showed gelation
ability. The gels were characterized by DSC, rheology, electron microscopy,
and atomic force microscopy. Structure property correlation using
single crystal and powder X-ray diffraction data on a selected gel
was also attempted.