Multiple modulations of supramolecular assemblies from a natural triterpenoid-tailored bipyridinium amphiphile

Yuxia Gao; Kefei Zhao; Xia Yu; Zilu Li; Tianyue Wu; Chenhui Zhang; Fengpei Du; Jun Hu

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2020.09.125

Multiple modulations of supramolecular assemblies from a natural triterpenoid-tailored bipyridinium amphiphile

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2021 Feb 15:584:92-102. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.09.125. Epub 2020 Oct 6.

Authors

Yuxia Gao¹, Kefei Zhao¹, Xia Yu², Zilu Li¹, Tianyue Wu¹, Chenhui Zhang¹, Fengpei Du³, Jun Hu⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
² Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China.
³ Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China. Electronic address: dufp@cau.edu.cn.
⁴ Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China. Electronic address: jhu@buct.edu.cn.

PMID: 33069032
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.09.125

Abstract

As the applications of supramolecular assemblies are ultimately inscribed in their nanostructures, strategies that can precisely fabricate and regulate supramolecular architectures from small molecules are of great importance. Herein, in this research multiple modulations of supramolecular assembled structures of a natural triterpenoid-tailored bipyridinium amphiphile, 1-[2-(methyl glycyrrhetate)-2-oxoethyl]-[4,4']bipyridinium bromide (MGBP), have been achieved by adjusting solvents or counterions. Depending on the polarity of solvents, MGBP assembled into nanofibers, helices, pentagon and hexagon microsheets, respectively. Moreover, the nanofibers in methanol/water can transform into ribbons, robust fibers and fiber bundles by addition of counterions with different ionic sizes and valences. This work presents a simple and feasible methodology to modulate assembly structures of a natural triterpenoid-based amphiphile, which may expand the application of natural products in supramolecular materials.

Keywords: Counterion; Gel; Multiple modulations; Self-assembly; Triterpenoid.