CHEMISTRY: HOW DOES IT SHAPE UP?

There is more to organic chemistry than the covalent bond. The design and synthesis of molecules, because of their particular architecture, are able to bind strongly target ions or molecules by utilizing lots of individually relatively weak non-covalent interactions has led to many novel and important applications. Examples include the transport of ions across biological membranes, the generation of unusual ionic species, such as sodium anions, the recovery of pure metals from mineral ores, and contrasting agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).