MESOCHEMISTRY

Advances in host-guest chemistry of inorganic mesostructures ate creat ing a new dimension in materials chemistry aimed at the synthesis of f unctional mesoscopic systems. Mesostructured materials can now be made with insulating, semiconducting and metallic properties. Guests, whic h have recently been encapsulated within the channels of hexagonal mes oporous silica hosts, MCM-41, include organic and inorganic polymers, luminescent silicon clusters, buckminster-fullerenes, long-chain alkyl thiolates, immobilized enzymes and a variety of inorganic, organometal lic and organic compounds.