The Case for Supramolecular Chemistry

Despite the inherent difficulties with using weak forces as primary synthetic tools, considerable progress has been made, and the preponderance of strategies for supramolecular synthesis prompted Desiraju [19] to introduce the term supramolecular synthon . Synthons describe the precise recognition events that take place when molecules assemble into supermolecules and provide an important illustration of the conceptual similarities between retrosynthetic organic synthesis and supramolecular assembly [20]. 

This chapter outlines some advances that have been made specifically through the use of hydrogen-bond interactions in directed assembly of organic molecular solids with desirable and well-defined supramolecular connectivity [21]. However, the scope of this chapter only allows us to mention but a fraction of the many 

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