CASCADE MOLECULES .6. SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF 2-DIRECTIONAL CASCADE MOLECULES AND FORMATION OF AQUEOUS GELS

Numerous two-directional cascade molecules (arborols) have been prepared via a simple two-step procedure. These cascade molecules have been abbreviated as [m]-n-[m] arborols, where m is the number of hydroxyl moieties on the cascade spherical surface and n is the number of methylenes connecting the cascade spheres. Several of the arborols in the [9]-n-[9] and [6]-n-[6] series form thermally reversible aqueous gels; properties of these gels are discussed. An aggregation model is proposed for the gel-forming molecules; preliminary molecular modeling calculations and electron micrograph data support this model. © 1990, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.