Molecular engineering

As an emerging discipline, molecular engineering emphasizes the function-oriented design and synthesis of structures at the molecular level. It pays particular attention in exploring the rules and principles of function-structure-synthesis relationships. The function-oriented design, synthesis or assembly methodology, and investigation on the intrinsic properties of building blocks are important subjects of molecular engineering. In this review, the significance of molecular engineering as a new discipline is discussed. Research progresses in the spontaneous monolayer dispersion principle and CO adsorption agents, optoelectronic functional materials and devices composed of designed nanostructures or molecules, metal nanocluster-based catalysts, together with progress in the methodologies for preparing two-dimensional molecular porous networks in a controlled manner, and for the design of functional proteins are presented.