Dual-component cholesterol-based gelators bearing complementary hydrogen-bonding sites

Cholesterol derivatives with an isocyanuric acid moiety 1 or a triaminopyrimidine moiety 2 were synthesized expecting a co-operative action between the hydrogen-bonding interaction and the cholesterol-cholesterol interaction to provide the reinforced aggregation property. Although 1 could gelatinize several organic solvents by itself, 2 always resulted in precipitates from these solvents. In contrast, a 1:1 1+2 mixture gave reinforced organic gels because of the action of their complementary hydrogen-bonding sites. IR spectroscopic studies showed, however, that the 1+2 gel does not employ a neat tape structure but a partially disordered, kinetically stable structure.