Molecular Recognition and Self-Assembly

    Welcome to the home page of the Wisner research group. Our research is primarily concerned with the design and synthesis of molecules which may be used to either recognize and sense other molecules (molecular recognition) or which incorporate "information" within their structures such that they assemble spontaneously with other molecules in solution into larger "super"molecules (self-assembly). These two concepts describe how biological systems work on the molecular level to generate order and function.

    We are engaged in the creation of entirely synthetic systems which use the same underlying principles to template the formation of structures which would not normally be synthetically accessible using traditional covalent chemistry.  This type of approach can be used to generate a wide range of complex polymolecular architectures, including mechanically-bonded species such as rotaxanes and catenanes, which are the basis for simple molecular machines.  Take a look at our research page for more on these fascinating molecular targets and our other research directions.