Molecular origin for helical winding of fibrils formed by perfluorinated gelators

Abstract

A chiral low-molecular weight gelator, N, N′-diperfluoroheptanoyl-1,2(R, R)- or -1,2(S, S)-diaminocyclohexane, was prepared to form a gel of acetonitrile. The conformation of the gelator in fibrils was determined by vibrational circular dichroism spectra, providing a molecular model for self-assembly in a helical fibril. © 2011 Royal Society of Chemistry.