A La3+-selective metallohydrogel with a facile gelator of a phenylalanine derivative containing an imidazole group

Abstract

The first La³⁺-selective metallohydrogel was constructed by using a facile gelator of a phenylalanine derivative containing an imidazole group, N-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)methylidene-L-phenylalanine, namely La-ImF, which exhibits multi-stimuli responsive properties, including to heat, shearing, pH, etc. Various measurements were also carried out to obtain insights into the mechanism of gelation. Moreover, the La-ImF hydrogel can adsorb toxic dyes, making it a potential candidate for sewage treatment.