Croat. Chem. Acta 69 (1996) 1023-1038.

Structure of Molecules and Assemblies

István Hargittai^a,b and Magdolna Hargittai^b

^aInstitute of General and Analytical Chemistry, Budapest Technical University, H-1521 Budapest ^bStructural Chemistry Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Eötvös University, H-1431 Budapest, Hungary

A broad overview is presented about the importance of molecular structure determination and about the structural considerations that come in view when molecular units build assemblies. Structural chemistry and crystallography constitute an integral part of today’s supramolecular chemistry as demonstrated by various statements of giants of the field. The challenge of supramolecular chemistry to the structural chemists is in detecting and understanding the structural changes accompanying molecular recognition and assembly formation and in providing assistance for the design of new assemblies and molecular devices with desired properties.