A multistimuli responsive and self-healing Zn(ii)-inosine supramolecular metal-organic gel: phase selective gelation and application as a light-responsive Schottky barrier diode.

Utilization of naturally available biomolecules such as nucleosides with several coordination sites as organic counterparts for the synthesis of multifunctional self-assembled metal-organic gels is important, considering the time and efforts required for the design of organic ligands that can coordinate to metal ions, forming a gel. In the present work, inosine, a simple nucleoside has been utilized as a ligand for the generation of a supramolecular metallo-hydrogel through coordination with Zn ions in the presence of NaOH. Several spectroscopic, microscopic and rheological investigations have been performed to characterize the formed gel.