A novel family of low molecular-weight organic gels. 1,3,5-tris(N-phenyl-N-4-stearoylaminophenylamino)benzene and 4,4 ',4 ''-tris(N-phenyl-N-4-stearoylaminophenylamino)triphenylamine/organic solvent systems

For the purpose of developing a novel family of low molecular-weight organi c gels and examining the relationship between molecular structures of gel-f orming compounds and morphologies of resulting gels, novel low molecular-we ight organic compounds, 1,3,5-tris(N-phenyl-N-4-stearoylaminophenylamino)be nzene (TSA-TDAB) and 4,4',4 "-tris(N-phenyl-N-4-stearoylaminophenylamino)tr iphenylamine (TSA-TDATA), were designed and synthesized. Both TSA-TDAB and TSA-TDATA were found to form thermoreversible gels with a variety of organi c solvents at low concentrations below 10 wt%. Comparison of the infrared a bsorption spectra between the gels and the corresponding solutions of TSA-T DAB and TSA-TDATA showed that the intermolecular hydrogen bonding plays an important role for gel formation. The morphologies of the xerogels of TSA-T DAB and TSA-TDATA were dependent upon the solvent. Fibrous three-dimensiona l networks were observed for the xerogels of both compounds except for the xerogels obtained from TSA-TDAB/nonpolar solvent gels. A TSA-TDATA/benzonit rile gel containing tetra-n-butylammonium perchlorate was found to function as a new type of electrochromic material, exhibiting a reversible color ch ange on electrochemical oxidation and reduction.