This research project in the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program is designed to provide deeper understanding of the relationship of molecular structure to reactivity in organic compounds. The molecular concept of host systems for general organic guest compounds, based on hydrophobic binding of the guest in aqueous solution, is deficient in several respects. This project is will investigate certain molecular architecture principals for designing hosts that are guest-sticky in hydrophobic solvents. Particular areas of interests are: (1) concave functionality and the importance of preorganization; (2) the relationship between guest rigidity and reaction rate; (3) intracavity chemistry; and (4) Computer assisted molecular architecture.
