Synthesis and estimation of gelation ability of C3-symmetry tris-urea compounds

C3-Symmetry tris-urea low molecular weight gelator (LMWG) (1), which shows chemical stimuli responsible for a sol–gel phase transition, was divided into five regions. Based on the division, 22 derivatives were synthesized. The gelation ability of these derivatives was tested in nine organic solvents with a wide range of values for relative static permittivity (ɛr=47.2–1.89). Some derivatives showed a better performance as LMWGs than the original tris-urea LMWG (1). For example, the critical gelation concentration (CGC) in acetone was improved from 1.5 wt % to 0.5 wt % by changing the core substituent (18). Highly versatile LMWG for a variety of solvents was obtained by changing the linker moiety (23). Structural information to design tris-urea LMWGs is important to create rationally a functional supramolecular gel.