Self-assembly of carbazole-containing gelators: alignment of the chromophore in fibrous aggregates

Carbazole-containing gelators derived from l-isoleucine have been developed. They form elongated self-assembled fibers in common organic solvents and in liquid crystals, leading to the efficient gelation of these solvents. Spectroscopic studies indicate that the carbazolyl moieties are one-dimensionally stacked in the fibers. The stacking of the carbazolyl moieties is reversible by the association and dissociation of the hydrogen bonding. Moreover, anisotropically aligned fibers have been obtained in a homogeneously oriented smectic state of liquid crystals. This template behavior would serve as a versatile approach to the functionalization of self-assembled fibers.