PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

The possible existence and formation of molecular knots, molecular links, and molecular fabrics, built from quite arbitrary monomers, is discussed. General theoretical considerations lead to the conclusion that such molecular species are likely to represent local minima on potential energy hypersurfaces and, therefore, should be stable and able to exist, if once formed. A surface template technique is suggested as a possible experimental avenue to actually form molecular knots and links. This technique may open the door to the directed and controlled synthesis of knots, thus transcending present-day methods based on self-assembly of constituting monomers or oligomers.