Coordination Polymer Gels with Modular Nanomorphologies, Tunable Emissions, and Stimuli-Responsive Behavior Based on an Amphiphilic Tripodal Gelator.

The recent upsurge in research on coordination polymer gels (CPGs) stems from their synthetic modularity, nanoscale processability, and versatile functionalities. Here we report self-assembly of an amphiphilic, tripodal low-molecular weight gelator (L) that consists of 4,4',4-[1,3,5-phenyl-tri(methoxy)]-tris-benzene core and 2,2':6',2″-terpyridyl termini, with different metal ions toward the formation of CPGs that show controllable nanomorphologies, tunable emission, and stimuli-responsive behaviors. L can also act as a selective chemosensor for Zn