(part of Steps Toward Molecular Manufacturing)

- almost no skeleton:


If neither compact cages nor larger cages are very convenient solutions, what is one supposed to do ? At the moment, it looks like link-chemistries using Diels-Alder type addition reactions might provide a solution if the adduct structure, which does provide additional functionalization sites beyond what is necessary for link-formation, is used in part for structural stabilization of the lattice. This then starts blurring considerably the convenient separation of the design issues into the sub-problems of link-chemistries and skeletons. It leads to custom-tailoring of the skeleton structure to incorporate the Diels-Alder components, which are of comparable size.

An interesting and helpful structural unit in the design of such "integrated" MBBs can be found in using spiro-connections, i. e. two rings sharing exactly one carbon-atom. By using these, one is able to obtain a rigid 90 degree orientation of two planar structures in the smallest possible volume.



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last updated Oct. 5 1996
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