Exploring Supramolecular Gels in Flow-Type ChemistryDesign and Preparation of Stationary Phases

Two major challenges facing chemical synthesis are product isolation and catalyst recovery. One method to overcome these challenges is to perform the synthesis in a flow system with a catalytic stationary phase. However, the polymeric catalytic materials used in flow systems are often laborious to produce. In this study, we investigate a novel supramolecular gel as a catalytic stationary phase material. The gel is based on a modular, easy to synthesize, oxotriphenylhexanoate (OTHO) gelator comprised of a catalytic unit designed to catalyze the Knoevenagel reaction. The catalytic organogel enhances the rate of product formation and can be reused five times. Use of the OTHO to construct catalytic gels is a flexible technique that can be utilized to improve product isolation and reduce wastage of the catalyst.