From Coordination Chemistry to Adaptive Chemistry

The object of chemistry has steadily evolved from discrete molecules to discrete numbers of assembled molecules and finally to networks of constitutional dynamic molecules, introducing the notion of adaptive chemistry. Inorganic coordination chemistry has been at the heart of this evolution with the metamorphosis of metal cations from coordination centers to templates to effectors. This chapter retraces 25 years of advances in metallosupramolecular chemistry by covering the birth and evolution of emblematic concepts such as the concepts of self-organization, self-sorting, constitutional dynamic chemistry, adaptive chemistry, and constitutional dynamic network. Additionally, some key metallosupramolecular structures such as helicates and grids like complexes, cages, and dynamers will be discussed alongside the implementation of motional dynamics in metallosupramolecular chemistry.