Advances in Supramolecular Chemistry

In this volume, inorganic, organic, and bioorganic chemistry are represented in contributions from around the world. Pioneering work in self-assembled structures organized by the use of transition metals is described in chapter 1, followed by details of extensive studies of self-assembled structures formed from various biomolecules in chapter 2. The next two chapters describe the formation of spherical molecular containers and their understanding of such structures based on Platonic and Archimedean solids, and the fascinating family of synthetic peptide receptors and the interactions that can be explored using these host molecules. In chapter 5 a mixture of computational chemistry, drug design, and synthetic organic and inorganic chemistry in the development of superoxide dismutase mimics is described. The final two chapters discuss the bioorganic and supramolecular principles required for the design of synthetic artificial enzymes, and the supramolecular self-assembly and its possible role in the origin of life.

It is hoped that this broad, international view of supramolecular chemistry and the many directions it leads will be of interest to those already in the field. It is also hoped that those outside the field may see extensions of their own work that will bring them into it.

List of contributors. Preface. Molecular self-assemblies through coordination: macrocycles, catenanes, cages, and tubes. Chiral self-assembled structures from biomolecules and synthetic analogues. Spherical molecular containers: from discovery to designod). Synthetic peptide receptors: noncovalent interactions involving peptides. Rational design of synthetic enzymes and their potential utility as human pharmaceuticals: development of manganese(II)-based superoxide dismutase mimics. Designing active sites of synthetic artificial enzymes. The relevance of supramolecular chemistry for the origin of life. Index.