Nitrochalcones as organogelators: evidence of the involvement of nitro groups and solvent in gel formation

New 4-alkoxynitrochalcones have been synthesized and shown to be organogelators; dodecyloxy/benzyl alcohol gels have been studied by freeze-fracture electron microscopy, DSC and FTIR. We show that the nitro group is involved in the formation of the gel and that the gelator co-assembles with solvent molecules.