Terpenoid-based supramolecular materials: fabrications, performances, applications

With the increasing advancement of supramolecular chemistry, the focus is gradually shifting from the preparation of traditional polymeric materials to the development of multifunctional supramolecular materials. Among the building blocks of supramolecular materials, natural small molecules with intrinsic assembly properties are preferred over synthetic molecules due to their lower toxicity, better biocompatibility, biodegradability, and bioactivity. Terpenoids, as a kind of natural product with a wide range of supply sources, numerous modification sites, and abundant functions, have become a promising platform for the construction of supramolecular materials. Currently, many supramolecular materials based on different terpenoids have been successfully developed, which play an important role in tissue engineering, biomedicine, food science, and flexible electronics. This review comprehensively integrates and summarises current research findings on typical terpenoid-based supramolecular materials, including low-molecular-weight gels, nanocarriers for drug delivery, chiral self-assembled materials, and emulsion gels, focusing on their preparation methods, assembly processes, structural characteristics, and applications. The aim of this review is to draw attention to the potential of natural terpenoids, promote their exploitation and utilisation, and offer more alternatives for the creation of supramolecular materials.