title: Versatile, Reversible, and Reusable Gel of a Monocholesteryl Conjugated Calix[4]arene as Functional Material to Store and Release Dyes and Drugs Including Doxorubicin, Curcumin, and Tocopherol.
abstract: Gels are interesting soft materials owing to their functional properties leading to potential applications. This paper deals with the synthesis of monocholesteryl derivatized calix[4]arene (G) and its instantaneous gelation at a minimum gelator concentration of 0.6% in 1:1 v/v THF/acetonitrile. The gel shows remarkable thermoreversibility by exhibiting Tgel→sol at ∼48 °C and is demonstrated for several cycles. The gel shows an organized network of nanobundles, while that of the sol shows spherical nanoaggregates in microscopy. A bundle with ∼12 nm diameter possessing hydrophobic pockets in itself is obtained from computationally modeled gel, and hence the gel is suitable for storage and release applications. The guest-entrapped gels exhibit the same microstructures as that observed with simple gels, while fluorescence spectra and molecular mechanics suggests that the drug molecules occupy the hydrophobic pockets. All the entrapped drug molecules are released into water, suggesting a complete recovery of the trapped species. The reusability of the gel for the storage and release of the drug into water is demonstrated for four consecutive cycles, and hence the gel formed from G acts as a functional material that finds application in drug delivery.
authors.affiliation: Bioinorganic Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India.
authors.forename: Anil Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Bandela
authors.affiliation: Bioinorganic Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India.
authors.forename: Vijaya Kumar
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Hinge
authors.affiliation: Bioinorganic Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India.
authors.forename: Deepthi S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Yarramala
authors.affiliation: Bioinorganic Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India.
authors.forename: Chebrolu Pulla
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry*; D047250:Calixarenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry*; D003474:Curcumin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D004058:Diffusion; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry*; D008422:Materials Testing; D053769:Nanocapsules / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D024505:Tocopherols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005782:Gels; D053769:Nanocapsules; D010636:Phenols; C121325:calix(4)arene; D047250:Calixarenes; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003474:Curcumin; D024505:Tocopherols
keywords: AFM and SEM; drug encapsulation and release; material storage and release; molecular modeling; monocholesteryl derivatized calix[4]arene