Molecular self-assembly is the spontaneous association of molecules under equilibrium conditions into stable, structurally well-defined aggregates joined by noncovalent bonds. Molecular self-assembly is ubiquitous in biological systems and underlies the formation of a wide variety of complex biological structures. Understanding self-assembly and the associated noncovalent interactions that connect complementary interacting molecular surfaces in biological aggregates is a central concern in structural biochemistry. Self-assembly is also emerging as a new strategy in chemical synthesis, with the potential of generating nonbiological structures with dimensions of 1 to 10(2) nanometers (with molecular weights of 10(4) to 10(10) daltons). Structures in the upper part of this range of sizes are presently inaccessible through chemical synthesis, and the ability to prepare them would open a route to structures comparable in size (and perhaps complementary in function) to those that can be prepared by microlithography and other techniques of microfabrication.

Molecular self-assembly and nanochemistry: A chemical strategy for the synthesis of nanostructures

Switches, and Actuators Masahiro Irie,*,† Tuyoshi Fukaminato,‡ Kenji Matsuda, and Seiya Kobatake †Research Center for Smart Molecules, Rikkyo University, Nishi-Ikebukuro 3-34-1, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-8501, Japan ‡Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University, N20, W10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka City University, Sugimoto 3-3-138, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka 558-8585, Japan

Photochromism of Diarylethene Molecules and Crystals: Memories, Switches, and Actuators

Structure, thermodynamics, and electronic properties are predicted for a new low energy phase of carbon which contains planar sheets equally occupied by sp2 and sp carbon atoms. The isolated planar sheets have the same planar symmetry as do the layers in graphite (p6m) and can be formally viewed as resulting from the replacement of one‐third of the carbon–carbon bonds in graphite by –C 3/4 C– linkages. This material, called graphyne, is predicted to have a crystalline state formation energy of 12.4 kcal/mol carbon, which appears to be much lower than for any carbon phase which contains acetylenic groups as a major structural component. Based on the major structural reorganization required for graphitization and the observed high temperature stability of known model compounds, high temperature stability is predicted for graphyne. While graphyne will have similar mechanical properties as graphite, it is predicted to be a large bandgap semiconductor (Eg=1.2 eV) rather than a metal or semimetal. Based on this...

Structure‐property predictions for new planar forms of carbon: Layered phases containing sp2 and sp atoms

3.2. Thienothiophenes 1216 3.2.1. Thieno[3,4-b]thiophene Analogues 1216 3.2.2. Thieno[3,2-b]thiophene Analogues 1217 3.2.3. Thieno[2,3-b]thiophene Analogues 1218 3.3. , ′-Bridged Bithiophenes 1219 3.3.1. Dithienothiophene (DTT) Analogues 1220 3.3.2. Dithieno[3,2-b:2′3′-d]thiophene-4,4-dioxides 1221 3.3.3. Dithienosilole (DTS) Analogues 1221 3.3.4. Cyclopentadithiophene (CPDT) Analogues 1221 3.3.5. Nitrogen and Phosphor Atom Bridged Bithiophenes 1222

Functional oligothiophenes: molecular design for multidimensional nanoarchitectures and their applications.

Metal matrix composites: production by the stir casting method

Creation of pure nanodrugs and their anticancer properties

The novel organic ion-complex crystal composed of protonated merocyanine and p-toluenesulfonate anion, i.e., 1-methyl-4-(2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)vinyl)pyridinium 4-toluenesulfonate (MC-PTS), was synthesized for second-order nonlinear optics. Crystal structure analysis revealed that MC-PTS crystallized in the space group of P1, i.e., the most desired space group for waveguide applications where molecular dipoles are perfectly aligned in one direction. It was also pointed out that the tetrahedral sulfonate anion plays the role of a chiral handle to give noncentrosymmetric space groups.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1143/JJAP.29.1112/pdf

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a Novel Organic Ion-Complex Crystal for Second-Order Nonlinear Optics

Real-time vibrational mode-coupling associated with ultrafast geometrical relaxation in polydiacetylene induced by sub-5-fs pulses

We have presented a simple technique for the fabrication of nanocrystals of organic molecules and polymers and have shown that it is possible, using the liquid-phase technique, to fabricate organic nanocrystals ranging in size from 10 nm to 1 μm by manipulating the preparative conditions. In particular, nanocrystals of poly(4-BCMU) ranging from 20 nm to 350 nm were prepared by controlling the preparation conditions. The main advantages of the liquid-phase technique are the practicality and suitability of the technique for a wide range of materials. The fabrication of organic nanocrystals, though at a very early stage, seems a promising approach for producing low-dimensional organic materials and, like inorganic nanocrystals, another important objective for future study would be to incorporate organic nanocrystals into a variety of inorganic and organic media. It is hoped that extensive work will be done on organic nanocrystals to evaluate their potential for electronics and photonics.

Fabrication of organic nanocrystals for electronics and photonics

The preparation of fullerene fine crystals with uniform size and shape would permit the control of their specific electronic energy levels and the fabrication of materials with completely new properties. To this end, we have successfully fabricated, for the first time, shape- and size-controlled C60 fine crystals using a reprecipitation method developed in our laboratory. The C60 fine crystals obtained were clearly monodisperse and came in an interesting diversity of shapes such as spherical, rodlike, fibrous, disk, and octahedral. We were able to selectively control these sizes and shapes by simply changing the combination of solvents used and the reprecipitation conditions.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1143/JJAP.48.050206/pdf

Hachiro Nakanishi

Papers

Creation of pure nanodrugs and their anticancer properties

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a Novel Organic Ion-Complex Crystal for Second-Order Nonlinear Optics

Real-time vibrational mode-coupling associated with ultrafast geometrical relaxation in polydiacetylene induced by sub-5-fs pulses

Fabrication of organic nanocrystals for electronics and photonics

Fullerene Fine Crystals with Unique Shapes and Controlled Size