The Discovery of Crown Ethers (Noble Lecture)

TLDR

Supramolecular chemistry, pioneered by Pedersen, Cram, and Lehn, earned them the 1987 Nobel Prize for their work on host‑guest interactions involving molecular cavities that can encapsulate cations, anions, or neutral molecules. This lecture reviews the origins, early achievements, and future prospects of crown ether chemistry. Recent results from Lehn’s research are presented in the issue.

Abstract

The founders of “supramolecular chemistry” include Charles J. Pedersen, Donald J. Cram , and Jean‐Marie Lehn , who shared the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1987 for their fundamental research in this area of organic chemistry. Their work focused the attention of many chemists on the cavities formed by certain types of molecules. Cations, anions, or neutral molecules can enter the cavities of specifically designed compounds and are held there by inter‐molecular forces. It is fully justified, therefore, to compare such compounds to biomolecules. How the development began, how it achieved its first successes, and what fascinating possibilities lie in store for future research are discussed by Pedersen and Cram in this issue and by Lehn in the January issue (page 89 ff.). The most recent results from Lehn's research are also reported, appropriately, in this issue.