The crystallization of polar, channel-type inclusion compounds: Property-directed supramolecular synthesis

Research News: How can the efficiency of formation of polar materials be improved? The work presented here makes use of the concept of supramolecular synthons, resulting in an inclusion formation approach that produces a nearly four times higher yield of polar crystal structures than the crystallization of dipolar molecules alone. The example of co-crystallization of racemic all-trans perhydrotriphenylene (PHTP) with linear acceptors or donors is analyzed, and it is suggested that this `property-directed' synthesis has a potentially high degree of predictability.