Tailoring Organic Matter: from Molecular Design to Functional Supramolecular Species

Chemistry beyond the molecule, supramolecular chemistry, has become an essential tool in developing complex chemical systems by mastering intermolecular noncovalent forces. Supramolecular chemistry is considered a key step in the evolution of chemistry to an information science. By appropriate manipulation of noncovalent interactions, the information stored at the molecular level can operate through retrieval, transfer and processing at the supramolecular level. The work presented in this thesis aims at the design of programs, or molecular recognition patterns (hydrogen bonding, donor-acceptors and metal-ion coordination), that operate by spontaneous self-assembly into well-defined and complex supramolecular architectures. Appropriate encoding of the single subunits and processing give access to a variety of systems. Specifically, by integrating active components, functional supramolecular devices are easily accessible. Combination of components that operate with photons or electrons yields photoactive or electroactive devices capable of electron or energy exchange/transfer processes that paved the way to supramolecular photonics and electronics. Additionally, being intrinsically dynamic, supramolecular chemistry provides potential properties such as self-healing, error correction and sensitivity to external stimulus. Self-organization has offered a striking new and chemical approach to the bottom-up nanofabrication and top-down miniaturization approaches in nanoscience and technology, avoiding laborious implementation of physical procedures.