Understanding Supramolecular Interactions Provides Clues for Building Molecules into Minerals and Materials: a Retrosynthetic Analysis of Copper-Based Solids

Monika Singh; Jency Thomas; Arunachalam Ramanan

doi:10.1071/CH09427

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Understanding Supramolecular Interactions Provides Clues for Building Molecules into Minerals and Materials: a Retrosynthetic Analysis of Copper-Based Solids

Monika Singh ^A , Jency Thomas ^A and Arunachalam Ramanan ^A ^B

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India.

^B Corresponding author. Email: aramanan@chemistry.iitd.ac.in

Australian Journal of Chemistry 63(4) 565-572 https://doi.org/10.1071/CH09427
Submitted: 6 August 2009 Accepted: 23 December 2009 Published: 8 April 2010

Abstract

The influence of non-covalent interactions on the crystal packing of molecules is well documented in the literature. Unlike molecular solids, crystal engineering of non-molecular solids is difficult to interpret as aggregation is complicated by the presence of neutral as well as ionic species and a range of forces operating, from weak hydrogen bonding to strong covalent interactions. In this perspective, we demonstrate for the first time the role of non-bonding interactions in the occurrence of oxide, hydroxide, or chloride linkages in oxides, hydroxychlorides, and chlorides of copper-based minerals and coordination polymers in terms of a mechanistic approach based on supramolecular retrosynthesis. The model proposed here visualizes the crystal nucleus as a supramolecular analogue of a transition state wherein appropriate tectons (chemically reasonable molecules) aggregate through non-bonding forces that can be perceived through well-known supramolecular synthons. The mechanistic approach provides chemical insights into the occurrence of different topologies and solid-state phenomena like polymorphism.

Acknowledgements

A.R. acknowledges the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, for generous funding and infrastructural support for the past 18 years. M.S. and J.T. acknowledge Council of Scientific and Industrial-University Grants Commission, Government of India, and Honeywell International India Private Limited, respectively, for research fellowships.

References

Understanding Supramolecular Interactions Provides Clues for Building Molecules into Minerals and Materials: a Retrosynthetic Analysis of Copper-Based Solids

Abstract

Acknowledgements

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