The study and construction of molecular assemblies held together through noncovalent interactions, including recognition, host–guest complexes and self-assembly.
A reactant consumed irreversibly to drive a transient or maintained chemical state away from its unfuelled equilibrium.
Reversible formation of covalent ligands and metal coordination bonds from simpler components in the same mixture. imine condensation around a metal template is a common example.
Assembly maintained or transiently created by consumption of a chemical fuel. A fuel-triggered state can decay as the fuel is irreversibly converted to waste, even though rapid binding equilibria hold within each instantaneous composition.
Selective distribution of components among preferred assemblies from a mixture. Competition, concentration, solvent and protonation determine the distribution; a ranking of individual affinities does not imply perfectly pure species.
Preferential assembly of components with matching handedness into an individual assembly. A racemic sample can contain equal populations of homochiral enantiomeric cages.
Use of reversible covalent bond formation and exchange to let molecular connectivities reorganize. A template can shift the equilibrium library, provided exchange remains kinetically accessible.
Interchange of sulfur substituents through reactions such as thiolate attack on a disulfide. Rates and equilibria depend on protonation, solvent and redox conditions.
A macrocycle containing triazole and other linking units. Appropriate inward-directed C–H donors can bind anions cooperatively; cavity size and molecular preorganization can produce strong halide selectivity.
Restriction of a host or reactant towards a binding- or reaction-competent geometry before association. It can reduce a conformational penalty but may decrease adaptability to other guests.
A noncovalent attraction between a cation and an electron-rich aromatic system, with electrostatic and polarization contributions. Its solution free energy depends strongly on solvation.
A molecular association in which a host provides a binding site or cavity for a guest. Its equilibrium constant includes solvent and entropy contributions, not only direct host–guest attraction.
A molecular host with a three-dimensional cavity enclosed by several covalently connected donor-bearing bridges.
A cyclic polyether host that can coordinate cations with inward-directed oxygen donors. Selectivity depends on donor arrangement, solvent and guest size, not ring size alone.
A fifteen-membered crown with one nitrogen donor and four oxygen donors; nitrogen substitution can attach a signaling group.
A cyclic oligosaccharide host with a hydroxyl-rich exterior and a relatively nonpolar cavity. Different ring sizes recognize different organic guests through reversible inclusion. This node concerns its supramolecular chemistry.
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Supramolecular chemistry is a branch of chemistry that focuses on the study of complex structures formed by the association of two or more molecules through non-covalent interactions. These interactions can include hydrogen bonds, ionic interactions, van der Waals forces, hydrophobic effects, and π-π stacking, among others. The term "supramolecular" refers to structures that are larger than individual molecules and often involve the organization of multiple molecules into larger assemblies.