Low molecular weight gelators are of increasing interest due to their potential application in drug delivery, remediation, and chemical sensing. Our research focuses on using analyte-triggered gelation systems as sensors, wherein a sol to gel transition takes place in the presence of an analyte providing a clear yes/no signal. The main limitation to these systems is the high analyte concentration needed to induce the transition. To overcome this limitation, we have been developing sensors using a poly(phthalaldehyde) or poly(benzyl ether) backbone that disassembles into gelating monomeric units in the presence of an analyte. Amplification of the analyte signal occurs when a single analyte cleaves the end-capping unit to release the polymerized gelator units. The synthesis of a gelating monomeric unit, analyte and trigger selection, and efforts towards polymerization will be described.

Depolymerization as an amplification method for analyte-triggered gelation

249th National Meeting (2015)

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