Why Borromean?

The goal was to use chemicals to build tiny mechanical systems or machines. Here 'tiny' means about a hundred thousand time smaller than the width of a human hair. Such machines offer enormous possibilities for medicine and computer technology.

Stereochemistry builds chemicals that exist in two forms, mirror images of each other. With creative thinking we can find roles for the two forms in tiny machines such as on or off, locked or unlocked, shut or closed etc.

A useful approach is to choose the components of the chemical brew very carefully so they assemble themselves with precision. The image below shows a chemical soup with ingredients that can self assemble into Borromean Rings or Solomon Knots. The gray balls are metal atoms chosen to encourage the chemicals to line up at the right angle.

Fraser Stoddart always surrounds himself with young people.
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