Overview
- Aspects of molecular behaviour, central to the understanding of chemical and life sciences, feature in this collection of structurally biased papers, ranging from a study of transition-metal complexes, through proteins and their interactions, polymorphism, quasicrystals, to life in extreme environments
- Highlights the need to identify common criteria for understanding the molecular basis of life
- Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras
Access this book
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Other ways to access
Table of contents (20 papers)
-
Front Matter
Keywords
About this book
Molecules have for a long time been of central importance in chemistry as the basis on which all new products and materials have been designed, developed and interpreted. Since the discovery and characterization of active biomolecules, biology has also been transformed into a molecular science. With the new developments of molecular devices, single-molecule spectroscopy, time-resolved x-ray diffraction and the study of mass-selected clusters in molecular beams, materials science and electronics may move in the same direction.
The understanding of molecules and the dynamics of their transition between isolated and assembled states rests on three pillars: structure, activity and function. Enormous progress has been made in the experimental study of molecules by diffraction and spectroscopic analysis, directed at all three of the basic aspects. In the process molecular scientists have developed efficient working models in terms of which to design and interpret their experiments. A vital feature of such models is an understanding of intra- and intermolecular cohesion and assembly, or chemical bonding. One challenging aspect is that the working models of chemistry are notoriously difficult to reduce to the fundamental theories of the physical sciences.
The Indaba 5 meeting, held in South Africa during August 2006, was aimed at the progress that is being made to achieve first-principle understanding of molecular science: structure and dynamics (that includes bonding), activity and function. An interdisciplinary international team of experts came together to document and to probe various aspects of these fundamental questions and their startling conclusions confirm the need for a fresh look at the physical sciences with a view to better understand the mysteries and magic of molecules.
This book explores the common ground to guide chemists, biologists, crystallographers, spectroscopists and theorists into a deeper recognition of their individual relevance towards painting a holistic picture of scientific endeavour. This effort to stimulate interest in multidisciplinary research is rare, if not unique.
Reviews
Editors and Affiliations
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Models, Mysteries, and Magic of Molecules
Editors: Jan C.A. Boeyens, J.F. Ogilvie
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5941-4
Publisher: Springer Dordrecht
eBook Packages: Chemistry and Materials Science, Chemistry and Material Science (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2008
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4020-5940-7Published: 14 November 2007
Softcover ISBN: 978-90-481-7483-6Published: 19 October 2010
eBook ISBN: 978-1-4020-5941-4Published: 03 November 2007
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XIV, 484
Number of Illustrations: 32 illustrations in colour
Topics: Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Atomic/Molecular Structure and Spectra