Container Molecules and Their Guests

Book excerpt: Container Molecules and Their Guests deals with the fundamental principles and objectives that govern this rapidly developing subject and illustrates the emergence of a new field of biomimetic chemistry. The book demonstrates how a number of techniques, such as molecular modelling, synthesis, crystal structure, NMR solution structure and mass spectral structure determinations can be combined to develop a new branch of organic chemistry. It discusses the chemistry of completely new families of complexes - the carceplexes, hemicarceplexes and velcraplexes - and reviews for the first time the uses of the interiors of hemicarceplexes as a new phase for carrying out chemical reactions and for protecting unstable species. Furthermore, it illustrates how complexation and decomplexation rates are measured to provide free energies of binding, discusses new phenomena such as constrictive binding, and shows how solvophobic forces drive complexation in a variety of organic solvents. It also covers catalysis through complexation and chiral recognition in catalysis, both secondary themes of this volume. Container Molecules and Their Guests will provide stimulating reading for researchers, post-graduate students and teachers involved in bio-organic chemistry, organic chemistry, materials science, and medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry.