Metal-organic gels: From discrete metallogelators to coordination polymers

The design of metallogelators and incorporation of metals into supramolecular gels have received growing attention. Design strategies have been developed based on organogelators, including the incorporation of metal into low molecular weight organogelators (LMWGs), and coordination polymers assisted by auxiliary moieties (including lipophilic and hydrogen-bonding groups) as gelators. Additionally, a novel class of metal-organic gels lacking auxiliary moieties has recently been developed; these coordinationdirected (induced) gels display novel properties e.g., in adsorption and catalysis and as templates for porous materials. This review highlights the design and properties of a diverse range of metallogelator types. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.