Crystal Engineering - History of Term

History of Term

The term ‘crystal engineering’ was first used in 1971 by Schmidt in connection with photodimerisation reactions in crystalline cinnamic acids. Since this initial use, the meaning of the term has broadened considerably to include many aspects of solid-state supramolecular chemistry. A useful modern definition is that provided by Gautam Radhakrishna Desiraju, who in 1988 defined crystal engineering as "the understanding of intermolecular interactions in the context of crystal packing and the utilization of such understanding in the design of new solids with desired physical and chemical properties." Since many of the bulk properties of molecular materials are dictated by the manner in which the molecules are ordered in the solid state, it is clear that an ability to control this ordering would afford control over these properties.