Solvent-Driven Chiral-Interaction Reversion for Organogel Formation

For chiral gels and related applications, one of the critical issues is how to modulate the stereoselective interaction between the gel and the chiral guest precisely, as well as how to translate this information into the macroscopic properties of materials. Herein, we report that this process can also be modulated by nonchiral solvents, which can induce a chiral‐interaction reversion for organogel formation. This process could be observed through the clear difference in gelation speed and the morphology of the resulting self‐assembly. This chiral effect was successfully applied in the selective separation of quinine enantiomers and imparts “smart” merits to the gel materials. Get smart: A system for gel formation in which the solvent not only provides a medium but also determines the nature of the stereoselective interaction between a gelator and a chiral guest provides important insight into the assembly of chiral gelators. The solvent‐driven preferential complexation of one or another chiral guest (see picture) enables the design of organogels with new “smart” features for various applications.