Supramolecular chemistry: Functional structures on the mesoscale

doi:10.1073/pnas.201373898

Supramolecular chemistry: Functional structures on the mesoscale

^*Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208-3113; ^†Departments of Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, and Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder CO 80309; and ^‡Department of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 1300023, People's Republic of China

Abstract

Supramolecular chemistry deals with the chemistry and collective behavior of organized ensembles of molecules. In this so-called mesoscale regime, molecular building blocks are organized into longer-range order and higher-order functional structures via comparatively weak forces. As one of the modern frontiers in chemistry, supramolecular chemistry heralds many promises that range from biocompatible materials and biomimetic catalysts to sensors and nanoscale fabrication of electronic devices.

Footnotes

This paper is a summary of a session presented at the third annual Chinese–American Frontiers of Science symposium, held October 20–22, 2000, at the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center of the National Academies of Science and Engineering in Irvine, CA.