........ published in NEWSLETTER # 46
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........ published in NEWSLETTER # 46
II. NATO SCIENCE FORUM: SUPRAMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY
by Professor V. Balzani and Dr: L. De Cola, University, Bologna (Italy)
Chemistry is the most central of the scientific disciplines. Any possible link between biology and physics is through chemistry: Material science, chemical engineering, earth sciences, ecology, and related areas are largely based on chemistry. Chemical research can certainly be a fundamental factor for the progress of humanity, but it must be driven along appropriate directions. A very promising direction is that indicated by supramolecular chemistry.
The high degree of knowledge reached on molecular species and the extraordinary progress made by synthetic methods have prompted many important research groups to investigate supramolecular species, i.e. species obtained from appropriate assembling of molecular components. This approach not only contributes to fill the gap which separates chemistry from biology, but it also offers unique opportunities to search for new functions performed by artificial chemical systems.
The decision taken by NATO to launch a New Special Programme on Supramolecular Chemistry with a Science Forum on the same subject was very well received by the international scientific community. Leading scientists representing 16 countries and more than 20 different disciplines attended the Forum held in Taormina (Sicily) in December 1991 and accepted to contribute papers to this volume (NATO ASI SERIES C371). The book, which begins with a foreword by the Nobel Laureate Jean Marie Lehn, contains 29 chapters dealing with the most interesting topics currently being investigated in the field of supramolecular chemistry, namely: (i) design, synthesis, and characterization of new molecular building blocks and new assemblies with desired structures and properties; (ii) molecular recognition for selective catalysis and reactivity; (iii) energy and electron transfer processes in nanoscale devices, related to the elaboration of signals, information storage, and solar energy conversion.
This volume provides a comprehensive and up-to-date account of the many facets of an emerging and interdisciplinary field of science. It is certainly a very valuable reference volume for active scientists and it can also offer a variety of suggestions and ideas to young research workers.
Reference books: B73, C214, C369, C371, C376