CRYSTAL ENGINEERING IN 2 DIMENSIONS - DESIGN OF AMPHIPHILES USING THECLOSE-PACKING PRINCIPLE

It is demonstrated that application of the close-packing principle for the design of new amphiphiles can lead to formation of two-dimensiona l crystals which belong to various classes of the seventeen different planar space groups. By abandoning the traditional derivatized fatty a cid amphiphiles it will be possible to form planar lattices which can exhibit properties controlled by the symmetry of the lattice itself. T he resulting lattice will be dictated by the close-packing in the plan e of the cross-sections of the amphiphiles. By control of the cross-se ctional geometry of the amphiphile, it is therefore possible to ration ally synthesize aggregate structures in two dimensions. Prediction of two-dimensional crystal structure using atom-atom potential calculatio ns is attainable and will significantly contribute to the understandin g of self-assembly, molecular recognition and the design of new device s.