Highly stable supramolecular hydrogels formed from 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid and hydroxyl pyridines

New supramolecular hydrogels with the maximal sol-gel transition temperature (T(gel)) of 95 degrees C were obtained by using gelators formed from 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid (BTA) and para-hydroxyl pyridine (PHP) or meta-hydroxyl pyridine (MHP). The single crystal structure of the complex formed from BTA and ortho-hydroxyl pyridine (OHP) indicated that the molecules assembled into superstructure via both hydrogen bonds and pi-pi stacking interaction. (C) 2009 Li Ming Tang. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society. All rights reserved.