This book describes "supramolecular chemistry" from its basic concepts to the latest developments. It begins by treating molecular recognition chemistry including crown ethers, cyclodextrines, and calixarenes. Molecules with fascination shapes and functions such as fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, dendrimers, rotaxane, and catenane, and molecular assemblies such as bilayers and LB films are also explained. Thereafter applications of supermolecules to nanotechnology are introduced with many examples of molecular devices. The last part of the book describes biological supermolecules and their mimics, including ion channels, signal transduction, photosynthetic machines, natural and artificial enzymes, catalytic antibodies, and ribozymes.
