The manuscript revolves around an
interesting observation of solidification
of a solution of
N
-((1-((1-ethyl-1
H
-benzo[
d
]imidazol-2-yl)methyl)-1
H
-1,2,3-triazole-4-yl)methyl)aniline (
A6)
in the NMR
tube after around 12 h. Real-time images showed fibrillar and spherulitic
growth with tip branching and side branching, which is thermoreversible.
The compound under investigation is unique because it is synthesized
to understand the anticancer activity with two pharmacophores, benzimidazole
and triazole. Click chemistry is employed for in situ generation of
triazole moiety on benzimidazole. Previously, benzimidazole-based
compounds have shown self-aggregation-induced gel-like behavior because
of hydrogen bonding and/or π–π stacking interactions.
In the present case, NMR titrations with D
2
O addition showed
two distinct changes in the chemical shift for methylene bridges (connecting
benzimidazole and triazole ring) and ortho protons of the phenyl ring
(attached to triazole ring). Interestingly, a single-crystal X-ray
structure shows the absence of hydrogen bonds and π–π
stacking while in the presence of only two distinct close contacts,
completely correlating NMR data discussed in detail. A similar “molecular
origin” for self-aggregation is observed in seven other flexible
but regioisomeric compounds, which were designed and synthesized for
inducing hydrogen bonding through the removal of
N
-ethyl group and insertion of aniline and/or fluoro group.