Abstract

Supramolecular Chemistry in Flow: Challenges and Opportunities

Anna Slater, Research Fellow/Lecturer, University of Liverpool

Molecular materials and supramolecular systems have great potential in separation and sensing applications, but their synthesis and scale-up is challenging because their formation and self-assembly is strongly influenced by reaction environment. We use three approaches to control the formation of 3D molecular species and their assembly into molecular materials: 1) tuning the building blocks; 2) varying the interaction strength between building blocks, and 3) controlling the process by which they are made.

In this talk I will outline the third strategy with our work on porous organic cages (POCs), macrocycles, and organic materials, showing how continuous flow chemistry and non-thermal plasma approaches are useful tools for supramolecular chemists.