There have been several recent breakthroughs in the supramolecular domain: larger molecular components are being synthesized; 2D layers involving multiple recognition sites; crystals with intricate building blocks are being designed; more components are being used in assembly and self-assembly "algorithms" (some having molecular weights as high as 15,000); and there is an increasing versatility in applications. The difficulty in characterizing and obtaining structural information on such large assemblies has increased to such a level that no single technique is now adequate. Various methods have now been upgraded and are being combined: X-ray diffraction (structures with hundreds of independent atoms), NMR, AFM/STM (manipulation of a single molecule), FAB/MS, time-resolved techniques up to the picosecond range, new computational approaches, and others. The present book aims to shed light on the most recent developments in both the synthesis of novel assemblies and on current methods for their characterization.
