Ignacio Vargas-Baca

With the support of the Canada’s Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, my group a has pioneered the systematic study of the application of the supramolecular interactions formed by atoms of sulfur, selenium and tellurium (collectively called “the chalcogens”) to construct functional multimolecular structures. For example, the structure of infinite supramolecular chains of tellurium-containing molecules has been manipulated to engineer crystals with especial optical properties. Another recent achievement is the first demonstration of the ability of tellurium-oxygen “chalcogen bonds” to induce of the spontaneous assembly of discrete, well-defined, aggregates of a few molecules that together possess properties and perform the functions of new molecular entities. Our investigations pursue a fundamental understanding of such assemblies, but knowledge derived from this is work is highly relevant to applications in areas as diverse as chemical synthesis, optical technologies, electronics and inorganic polymers.