Group of Supramolecular Chemistry works mainly on development of the new methods for synthesis of cyclodextrin derivatives and on utilization of these derivatives in practical applications.
Supramolecular Chemistry
Supramolecular chemistry is an area of chemistry which studies non-covalent interactions among molecules. Important interactions of this kind are for example host-guest interactions in which one of the moulecules "hosts" the other usually smaller molecule. This small molecule is always more or less included into the hosting molecule cavity. Physical and chemical properties of both compounds in the formed inclusion complex, like solubility, reactivity or spectral properties, differ from the properties of the uncomplexed compounds.
Applications which arise from this behaviour are e.g. např. increasing solubility of pharmaceuticals in water, stabilization of reactive compounds, controlled release of active compounds (odors, drugs), control of reactions selectivity.
Cyclodextrins
Cyclodextrins (CD) are cyclic oligosaccharides which are formed by enzymatic conversion of starch. The CD molecule reminds a truncated cone by its shape. Due to the presence of the cavity the CD molecules are able to form inclusion complexes with other molecules.