L-Menthyl α-maltoside as a novel low-molecular-weight gelator

l-Menthyl α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-α-D-glucopyranoside (l-α-MenG₂), an α-maltoside of l-menthol, was synthesized through a three-step enzymatic reaction. We found that l-α- MenG ₂ possesses the properties of a low-molecular-weight gelator. Aqueous solutions containing l-α-MenG₂ at concentrations above 30 g L^-1 show a thermally reversible sol-gel transition. The sol-gel transition temperature of the aqueous l-α-MenG₂ solution increases with l-α-MenG₂ concentration: 12 °C at 30 g L^-1 and 24 °C at 250 g L^-1. d-Menthyl and d-isomenthyl α-maltosides were also synthesized enzymatically, but their aqueous solutions showed no sol-gel transition.