Supramolecular Polymers (Hydrogen Bonds)

Synonyms

Self-assembly of hydrogen bonded polymers

Definition

A supramolecular polymer is an assembly of small molecules bound together by secondary interactions (e.g., hydrogen bonds) rather than the covalent bonds found in conventional polymeric materials.

Introduction

From the watershed that was Wöhler’s synthesis of urea in 1828, organic chemistry has progressed to the point where the total synthesis of complex molecules has become a reality. However, the larger the target molecule, the more challenging its synthesis becomes. In contrast to this “total synthesis” approach, supramolecular chemistry is concerned with preparing assemblies of molecules using a combination of secondary chemical interactions rather than covalent bonding.

Therefore, a supramolecular polymermay be defined as an assembly of small repeat unit molecules bound together by secondary interactions rather than the covalent bonds found in conventional polymeric materials. The comparatively simple molecules used...