Kistiakowsky Prize Lecture: Omar Yaghi (UC Berkeley)

Title: Extending Organic Chemistry into Infinite Two- and Three-dimensions

Abstract: The covalent bond occupies a central role in building up organic molecules leading to polymers and pharmaceuticals. With the advent of covalent organic frameworks (COFs), the chemistry of the covalent bond has been extended to crystalline two- and three-dimensional frameworks. Here, organic molecules are stitched together with covalent bonds to make crystalline, porous frameworks of high architectural and chemical robustness. This opened the way to carrying out chemistry on frameworks (i.e. the development of precision chemistry beyond the molecule). Molecular weaving, the union of the covalent and the mechanical bonds, gives way to incorporating flexibility and dynamics into frameworks, and this provides a whole new way of thinking about materials beyond molecules.