%A Tianmin SHU, Junchen WU, Ying ZOU, Keyin LIU, Liqing CHEN, Tao YI, %T Zn 2+ cation triggers self-assembly of cyclen into a stable metallogel %0 Journal Article %D 2010 %J Front. Chem. China %J Frontiers of Chemistry in China %@ 1673-3495 %R 10.1007/s11458-010-0109-5 %P 184-192 %V 5 %N 2 %U {https://journal.hep.com.cn/fcc/EN/10.1007/s11458-010-0109-5 %8 2010-06-05 %X A novel type of ligands contained 1,4,7,10-tetrazacyclododecane and functionalized by two azobenzene moieties grafted with two alkyl chains was designed and synthesized. The ligands with long alkyl chains can form metallogels in the presence of Zn2+ cations. The formation of metallogel was followed by NMR and electronic spectral detection. The morphology of the xerogels is varied with the equivalent of Zn2+ cations and the concentration of the gel. Spectral and structural analysis indicated that the driving forces of the gel formation were attributed to intermolecular hydrophobic interactions between alkyl chains and π-π interaction between azobenzenes.