Supramolecular chemistry Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
The subject of supramolecular chemistry focuses quite literally on going "beyond" molecular chemistry, typically involving assemblies of multiple molecules or systems more complex than one molecule. This includes so-called "host-guest" molecular recognition and supramolecular assemblies as well as the study of biological membranes.A supramolecule is a complicated system that is self-assembled by non-covalent interaction (charge transfer, hydrogen bond, hydrophobic interaction, electrostatic interaction, van der Waals force, pi-conjugate, and so forth). Supramolecules exhibit new functions that cannot appear from a single molecule or ion. Supramolecular chemistry studies the achitectures and properties of the entities formed by the assemblage of two or more chemical species. In supramolecular chemistry, the spatial distribution about a position of intermolecular interaction (called the "program") is studied.
Supramolecules can be synthesized with interesting properties, such as magnetic properties, light responsiveness, electric reactivity, ion reactivity, thermal reactivity, structural transformation, and so on for applications like energy transformation, electronic transformation, information storage, and signal transmission. Recently, research has targeted not only molecular assemblies such as molecular crystals, liquid crystals, and gel but also nucleic acids, proteins, and glucides. The applications of supramolecular materials include molecular recognition, catalytic action, molecular devices, molecular commutators, information vehicles, molecular computers, man-made DNA, and so on (there is discussion of these applications in the reference below).
Incidentally, "supermolecule" is not strictly a synonym for supramolecule, but many people mix up these words. A "supermolecule" is a molecule in which plural molecules (such as a dimer of water) are aggregated by intermolecular interaction (such as a hydrogen bond) and are considered as one aggregate for calculations in theoretical chemistry.
References
J-M. Lehn, "Supramolecular Chemistry," VCH Verlagsqesellschaft, 1995.
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