Supramolecular Chemistry-I

ABOUT THE COURSE: Molecular recognition is responsible for many biological functions; besides, it is useful in materials research. Supramolecular chemistry is based on molecular recognition and its consequences like biological sensors, molecular scale information processing, drug design, and so on. This chemistry is also of relevance in the synthesis of nanostructures, thin films, hydrogen and carbon dioxide storage, detection of explosivesx. In short, it is useful in fundamental science as well as several areas of applied research. INTENDED AUDIENCE: M.Sc. and Ph.D. students of IITs, Indian Universities, people working in the drug industryPREREQUISITES: Basic idea about Chemistry will be requiredINDUSTRY SUPPORT: Drug industry

Week 1: Introductory remarks and relevance of study. The original meaning of “supramolecular Chemistry” and how it has changed over the years to include various systems of study. Various intermolecular interactions and the meaning of molecular recognition. Concepts of positive and negative cooperativity.
Week 2:Thermodynamic treatment of molecular recognition. Introduction of supramolecular synthons, synthesis of macrocycles, thermodynamic and kinetic template effects. Macrocyclic effects and stability, crown ethers and lariat crown ethers
Week 3:Macrocyclic effects, thermodynamic and kinetic stability of complexes. Calixarenes and the art of molecular basket making, conformational flexibility of calixarenes at room temperature and their binding characteristics. Hybrids of calixarenes and their uses.

Week 4:Cucurbiturils of different sizes and their characteristics. Use of cucurbiturils in chemical reactions. Cyclodextrins and their structural characteristics as supramolecular reaction vessels.
Week 5:Macrobicyclic cryptands with structural characteristics. Synthesis: strategy and methodology. Rigidity and conformational lability of cryptands, layer effects. Synthesis of cryptands and cryptates of cations and anions and the cryptate effects. Mononuclear and multinuclear cryptates of transition metal ions and their uses in homogeneous catalysis.
Week 6:Cyclophanes and cryptophanes. Inclusion of non-polar organic molecules and other properties. Spherands and their synthesis and metal binding properties. Dendrimers and their structural characteristics.
Week 7:Synthesis of dendrimers by divergent and convergent methods. Binding properties of dendrimers and mimicry of metalloproteins’ active sites, catalysis. Interlocked structures of different designs: pseudo-rotaxanes, rotaxanes, molecular shuttle.
Week 8:Metal helicates, catenanes and catenates, trefoil knots. Synthesis of these complex structures via metal templating and p-p stacking interactions.