Development of metastable assemblies based on molecular self-assembly processes

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H02731
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 34010:Inorganic/coordination chemistry-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Hiraoka Shuichi 東京大学, 大学院総合文化研究科, 教授 (10322538)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 超分子化学 / 分子自己集合 / 自己集合過程 / 準安定種 / 金属錯体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Molecular self-assembly in artificial system have been conducted under thermodynamic control, but there are several difficulties in thermodynamically controlled molecular self-assembly such as selective production of multicomponent self-assemblies. In this research, to solve the problems under thermodynamic control, we focused on kinetically controlled molecular self-assembly. First, molecular self-assembly processes were revealed by experimental and theoretical approaches, then based on the self-assembly mechanism, we demonstrated that molecular self-assembly can be controlled kinetically. In addition, we also developed a general strategy to selectively assemble metastable, multicomponent self-assemblies even though elementary reactions in the molecular self-assembly are reversible.

Free Research Field

超分子化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

分子自己集合はナノレベル以上の構造体を形成するための基本的な現象であり、生命系の組織形成や材料など広く利用されている。人工系の分子自己集合の多くは熱力学支配であるために、生命系に匹敵する複雑集合体の形成ができなかったが、本研究によって実証された速度論支配の分子自己集合により準安定、多成分といったこれまで達成が不可能な分子自己集合体を合理的に形成する道を切り拓き、自然界における自己集合の更なる理解や分子自己集合に基づく材料開発に大いに貢献すると期待される。