Towards functional macrocycles: Self-assembly and template strategies

Abstract

As the area of supramolecular chemistry [1] has expanded from the studies of simple crown ethers to larger molecules with functions, the so-called supramolecular machines, the employed synthetic strategies have also become more elaborate. In the world of supramolecules where weak intermolecular interactions play a pivotal role in governing the overall structures, tactics in building the desired supramolecules are not limited to basic synthetic programming. Thus, self-assembly [2] of the parts building the supramolecular systems and the use of sophisticated template strategies [3] emerged as two new approaches in this area. © 2005 Springer. Printed in the Netherlands.