(2016) 'Knot theory in modern chemistry.', Chemical society reviews., 45 (23). pp. 6432-6448. Further information on publisher's website:https://doi.org/10.1039/C6CS00448BPublisher's copyright statement:Additional information:
Use policyThe full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that:• a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in DRO • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders.Please consult the full DRO policy for further details. Knot theory is a branch of pure mathematics, but it is increasingly being applied in a variety of sciences. Knots appear in chemistry, not only in synthetic molecular design, but also in an array of materials and media, including some not traditionally associated with knots. Mathematics and chemistry can now be used synergistically to identify, characterise and create knots, as well as to understand and predict their physical properties. This tutorial r eview provides a brief introduction to the mathematics of knots and related topological concepts in the context of the chemical sciences. We then survey the broad range of applications of the theory to contemporary research in the field.
Key Learning Points Some fundamentals of knot theory. Knot theory and closely related ideas in topology can be applied to modern chemistry. Knots can be formed in single molecules as well as in materials and biological fibres using a mixture of selfassembly, metal templating and optical manipulation.
The inclusion of knots in molecular structures can alter chemical and physical properties. Knots are surprisingly ubiquitous in the chemical sciences.