Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 4, 2025

Controlling the Size, Shape and Stability of Supramolecular Polymers in Water
Published on: August 2, 2012
A Design Principle for Polar Assemblies with C3 -Sym Bowl-Shaped π-Conjugated Molecules
Cheng Zhang1, Yuan Guo2,3, Dan He1
1RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan.
Abstract:
Polar materials attract wide research interest due to their unique properties, such as ferroelectricity and the bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE), which are not accessible with nonpolar materials. However, in general, rationally designing polar materials is difficult because nonpolar materials are more favorable in terms of dipole-dipole interactions. Here, we report a rational strategy to form polar assemblies with bowl-shaped π-conjugated molecules and a molecular design principle for this strategy. We synthesized and thoroughly characterized 12 single crystals with the help of various theoretical calculations. Furthermore, we demonstrated that it can be possible to predict whether polar assemblies become more favorable or not by estimating their lattice energies. We believe that this study contributes to the development of organic polar materials and their related studies.
Related Concept Videos
Newman Projections
The organic molecules rotate across the single bonds leading to numerous temporary three-dimensional structures of varying energy known as...
Fischer Projections
Molecular Shape and Polarity
Conformations of Cyclohexane
The chair form is the most stable and derives its name from its resemblance to the “easy chair.” In the chair conformation, two carbon atoms are arranged out-of-plane — one above and one below, minimizing the torsional strain. In the chair form, the bond angle is very close to the ideal...
VSEPR Theory
Radicals: Electronic Structure and Geometry
Accordingly, the structure of a trivalent radical lies between the geometries of carbocations and carbanions. An sp2-hybridized carbocation is trigonal planar, while an sp3-hybridized carbanion is trigonal pyramidal. Here, the difference in geometry is...

