........ published in NEWSLETTER # 53
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........ published in NEWSLETTER # 53
TRANSITION METALS IN SUPRAMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY
by Professor L. Fabbrizzi and Professor A. Poggi, University, Pavia (Italy)
Supramolecular chemistry is a highly interdisciplinary field that has developed at an astonishingly fast rate during the last two decades. In a general sense, its origins go back to metal coordination chemistry, and, in particular, to the pioneering papers by Pedersen and Lehn who designed crowns and cryptands suitable for selective binding of s_block metal ions and of Curtis and Busch, who used d_block metal centres as templates for the synthesis of poly_aza macrocycles. Since then, transition metals of various kinds have been employed as essential constituents of multi_component assemblies of a supramolecular nature, mainly for two reasons: (i) transition metals are prone to quick and reversible redox changes and some important functions required from a supramolecular assembly (e.g. light_to_ energy conversion or signal processing) are related to fast electron transfer processes; (ii) metal_ligand interactions are extremely variable from the point of view of the energy and of the geometrical features and the building up of novel and beautiful supramolecular edifices can benefit very much from such a variety.
Several books on supramolecular chemistry have appeared over the last years, amongst which: `Supramolecular Chemistry', V. Balzani and L. De Cola (NATO ASI SERIES C371), `Computational Approaches in Supramolecular Chemistry', G. Wipff (NATO ASI SERIES C427) and `Self_Production of Supramolecular Structures'. From `Synthetic Structures to Models of Minimal Living Systems', G.R. Fleischaker, S. Colonna and P.L. Luisi (NATO ASI SERIES C446) in which transition metal containing supramolecular systems received non_systematic coverage. This is the first text expressly devoted to the definition of the role of transition metals in supramolecular chemistry, offering a comprehensive and up_to_date coverage of the subject by leading scientists in the field.
This book under review (NATO ASI SERIES C448) contains the contributions presented at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop `Transition Metals in Supramolecular Chemistry' held in Santa Margherita Ligure, Italy, in April 1994. In particular, attention was focused on the following main topics: (1) metal controlled organisation of novel molecular assemblies and shapes; (2) design of molecular devices operating through metal centres; (3) supramolecular catalysts that mimic metalloenzymes; (4) metal containing sensory reagents and supramolecular recognition; (5) molecular materials with outstanding electronic, optoelectronic and magnetic properties. The book gives a state_of_the_art view on a fast growing field of chemistry and is addressed to researchers operating in both academic and advanced industrial environments. It should also be used as complementary reading for students at post_graduate level in inorganic, bioinorganic, coordination or supramolecular chemistry.
Reference books: C214, C371, C426, C446, C448