Self-assembling wholly synthetic systems

Abstract

The idea of synthesizing, efficiently and precisely, large and complex artificial molecular assemblies and supramolecular arrays from simple modular components has resulted in some chemical scientists using self-assembly in chemical synthesis, thus mimicking the many and beautiful examples of this paradigm in nature. Coordination of organic ligands around metal centres, hydrogen bonding interactions, and donor/acceptor π-π-stacking interactions have been employed to self-assemble numerous structures and superstructures, such as double and triple helices, grids, cages, and square-like networks, two- and three-dimensional aggregates, tubular ensembles, as well as a large number of mechanically interlocked molecular compounds, such as catenanes, rotaxanes, and knots.