A molecular crowding thermo-switchable chiral G-quartet hydrogel with circularly polarized luminescence property

Abstract

A novel helix hydrogel with a G-quartet structure was synthesized from guanosine (Gua) and its derivative 5′-guanosine monophosphate (5′-GMP) under a molecular crowding environment. The chirality of the hydrogel is adjusted by controlling the gelling speed. The chiral hydrogel can induce an achiral dye Thioflavin T (ThT) to realize circularly polarized fluorescence (CPL). The CPL dissymmetry factor |g_lum| of the dye-hydrogels can reach 3 × 10⁻² and can be switched easily.