Supramolecular chemistry
Supramolecular chemistry refers to the branch of chemistry concerning chemical systems composed of a discrete number of molecules. The strength of the forces responsible for spatial organization of the system range from weak intermolecular forces, electrostatic charge, or hydrogen bonding to strong covalent bonding, provided that the electronic coupling strength remains small relative to the energy parameters of the component. While traditional chemistry concentrates on the covalent bond, supramolecular chemistry examines the weaker and reversible non-covalent interactions between molecules. These forces include hydrogen bonding, metal coordination, hydrophobic forces, van der Waals forces, pi–pi interactions and electrostatic effects.
Important concepts advanced by supramolecular chemistry include molecular self-assembly, molecular folding, molecular recognition, host–guest chemistry, mechanically-interlocked molecular architectures, and dynamic covalent chemistry. The study of non-covalent interactions is crucial to understanding many biological processes that rely on these forces for structure and function. Biological systems are often the inspiration for supramolecular research.
- Self-assembly of a circular double helicate
- Host–guest complex within another host (cucurbituril)
- An example of a host–guest chemistry
- Host–guest complex with a p-xylylenediammonium bound within a cucurbituril
- Intramolecular self-assembly of a foldamer
- Two pyrene butyric acids bound within a C-hexylpyrogallol[4]arenes nanocapsule. The side chains of the pyrene butyric acids are omitted.
- Atructure of two isophthalic acids bound to a host molecule through hydrogen bonds
- Structure of a short peptide L-Lys-D-Ala-D-Ala (bacterial cell wall precursor) bound to the antibiotic vancomycin
