What´s Supramolecular Chemistry

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Supramolecular chemistry actually represents a fairly simple concept.“In contrast to molecular chemistry, which is predominantly based on the covalent bonding of the atoms, supramolecular chemistry is based up on intermolecular interactions, i.e on the association of two or more building blocks, which are held together by intermolecular forces”. When molecules get larger, they have the ability to stick together and that allows the formation of larger assemblies of molecules that are not bonded to one another but stick together and organize themselves, just like the pieces of the puzzle. Supramolecular chemistry is the domain of chemistry that deals with the forces that will allow them to stick together, which may include hydrogen bonding, metal coordination, hydrophobic forces, van der Waals forces pi-pi interactions and electrostatic effects. Important concepts that make this domain of chemistry very special include molecular self-assembly, folding, molecular recognition, host-guest chemistry, mechanically-interlocked molecular architectures, and dynamic covalent chemistry.
1.1.1 Supramolecular self-assembly:
Supramolecular self-assembly has wider applications in sciences (like Genetic engineering, Pharmaceutical research and Bio-Nanotechnology) that deal with living systems. Living systems stand out as a typical example for supramolecular assemblies.
Individual cells spontaneously self assemble in to functional entities when they divide, and learning the rules of self assembly, that gives rise to functionality will help the scientific community to find a variety of applications.
Most of the infectious diseases are dependent on the ability to assemble in to functional entities. Functional viruses are a self-assembly process...

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....U398p_ldU0cThe design porphyrin based receptors for the recognition of anions is a difficult area in Supramolecular chemistry.Recently a lot of research have been started and the results obtained so far are very promising. www.princeton.edu/chemistry/macmillan/group-meetings/HK_anionic%20binding.pdf: Design of Porphyrin Anion Receptors:

Considering a design is of utmost important before an anion receptor can be synthesized.The receptors must be preorganised for substrate binding. The amide and urea groups should be organized in such a position allowing them to converge the anion.Improved binding results by providing a maximum number of hydrogen bonding contacts for the anionic guests.The design should be in such a way that it makes the compound synthetically accessible in large yields so that various studies can be carried out.

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