Architecture in the Atomic Microcosm: The Riveting Case of Metal Organic Frameworks

Similarly to real-world buildings made of suitable materials, with construction order and me-chanical strength that must meet the demands of its functionality, a molecule is characterized by its constituent atoms, by the succession and spatial order of chemical bonds and by the strength of the bonds themselves. With time, chemists have learned how to synthesize new molecules not existing in nature, thus inventing new geometries and new functionalities. In this view, chemistry is the equivalent of architecture in the atomic microcosm. The aim of this chapter is to highlight the connections between Art & Science, in the belief that openness to esthetic sensibility and genuine curiosity towards disciplines beyond theory may also be beneficial for doing high quality scientific research. Metal organic frameworks epitomize these connections, as they are known for their properties and intriguing applications but also for beautifully designed tessellation composed of repeating patterns of molecular building units. (Figure presented.).