Sugar-integrated "Supergelators" which can form organogels with 0.03-0.05% [g mL^-1]

It was found that methyl-4,6-O-p-nitrobenzylidene-α-D-galactopyranoside (1) and methyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-α-D-mannopyranoside (2), which are scarcely soluble in apolar solvents, act as "supergelators" when they are enforcedly dissolved above their bp's in a sealed tube. The minimum gelator concentrations (C_min) were 0.03-0.07% [g mL^-1] which are one of the lowest concentrations achieved so far. The coupled study of TEM observation with partial solvent exchange established that the organogel stability is related to the superstructure in the fibril network constructed in specific solvents.