Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
7
Design of Supramolecular Materials:
Liquid-Crystalline Helicates
Raymond Ziessel
Laboratoire de Chimie Organique et Spectroscopie Avanc´es (LCOSA)
Ecole de Chimie, Polymeres, Materiaux, Universite de Strasbourg, France
7.1 Introduction
The molecular assemblies formed by the spontaneous association of a large number of
components into a specific phase having more or less well defined nanoscopic/micro-
scopic organization and macroscopic characteristics belong to the field of supramolecular
chemistry. This holds true for the formation of organized phases such as structured films,
layers, membranes, vesicles, micelles, liposomes, nanoparticles, and mesophases. In the
last case, the nature of the interactions involved is weak and dominated by hydrophobic
interactions and p-p stacking. One of the most challenging research areas in modern
chemistry is the control of the information necessary for the process of self-assembly to
take place. This information is taken into account during the design and synthesis of mul-
tifunctional compounds and materials with desirable or predictable properties, such as
luminescence, information transport, catalytic activity, and macroscopic ordering in mes-
ophases [1-4]. In recent years, there has been a tremendous growth in these scientific
areas loosely described as supramolecular materials science/chemistry. A plethora of fas-
cinating molecular structures, often involving interlocking of complementary molecular
components has raised the possible and future development of innovative miniaturized
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