Strategy to Identify Improved N-Terminal Modifications for Supramolecular Phenylalanine-Derived Hydrogelators.

ABSTRACT: Supramolecular hydrogels formed by self-assembly of low molecular weight (LMW) compounds have been identified as promising materials for applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In many cases, the relationship between the chemical structure of the gelator and the emergent hydrogel properties is poorly understood. As a result, empirical screening strategies instead of rational design approaches are often relied upon to tune the emergent properties of the gels. Herein, we describe a novel strategy to identify improved phenylalanine (Phe) derived gelators using a focused empirical approach. Fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) protected Phe derivatives are a privileged class of gelators that spontaneously self-assemble into fibrils that entangle to form a hydrogel network upon

SUBMITTER: Abraham BL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7318788 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature