Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

Supramolecular chemistry

Molecular crystal balls

Sorcerers have long gazed into crystal balls to conjure up information. Chemists are also getting in on the act, using porous crystals to trap unstable reaction intermediates and to reveal their structures.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Caught in a trap.

References

  1. Kawamichi, T., Haneda, T., Kawano, M. & Fujita, M. Nature 461, 633–635 (2009).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Heine, A. et al. Science 294, 369–374 (2001).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Wang, Z. & Cohen, S. M. Chem. Soc. Rev. 38, 1315–1329 (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Song, Y.-F. & Cronin, L. Angew. Chem. Int. Edn 47, 4635–4637 (2008).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Kawamichi, T., Kodama, T., Kawano, M. & Fujita, M. Angew. Chem. Int. Edn 47, 8030–8032 (2008).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Yoshizawa, M., Klosterman, J. K. & Fujita, M. Angew. Chem. Int. Edn 48, 3418–3438 (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Jones, S. C. & Bauer, C. A. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 131, 12516–12517 (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cohen, S. Molecular crystal balls. Nature 461, 602–603 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/461602a

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/461602a

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing