Intermolecular interactions (IMPRS-UFAST focus)

Within this focus course, we will study the basics of intermolecular interactions. These include molecular properties such as polarizabilities, to learn about the behavior of molecules in external fields, as well as the treatment of thermodynamic and statistical effects.

An important part of the lecture will be dedicated to discuss the different types of intramolecular and intermolecular interactions, such as dipole-dipole interactions, ion-dipole interactions, dispersion interactions, and hydrogen bonding, which are known to play major roles in molecular recognition and self-assembly both in biological systems and in artificial nanomaterials. We will discuss the underlying principles for each type of interaction and discuss relevant examples.

This course is suitable for Ph.D. fellows from all natural sciences.