title: Novel organic gelators based on pentose derivatized diosgenyl saponins.
abstract: Much attention has been paid to diosgenin saponins because of their various bioactivities, whereas their gelation ability has never been reported. We synthesized some new saponins with pentose directly connected to diosgenin in a shorter procedure, which neither removed the acetyl group of the anomeric hydroxyl group selectively nor activated it and led to a higher yield, compared with the common synthesis of other diosgenyl saponins. We found these compounds are gelators of various organic solvents and their gel formation was studied with FTIR and SEM. This serendipitous discovery enriches the diversity of steroidal small molecular gelators. Meanwhile, single crystal X-ray analysis gave additional information about their intermolecular interactions in the solid state.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Ethnopharmacology, Institute for Nanobiomedical Technology and Membrane Biology, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, No. 1 Keyuansilu, Gaopeng Dadao, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiurong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.forename: Shiliang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Yanyan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Baozhan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Hang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zhihua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Qingming
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D004144:Diosgenin / Q000737:chemistry*; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010429:Pentoses / Q000737:chemistry*; D012503:Saponins / Q000737:chemistry*; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D010429:Pentoses; D012503:Saponins; D012997:Solvents; D004144:Diosgenin