ABSTRACT
This chapter is concerned with relationship between the chemical reactivity of an organic solid and its crystal structure is generally associated with the work of G. M. J. Schmidt and his co-workers on the photodimerization of cinnamic acid and its derivatives. It explains analogy between reactions in zeolites and how the concept of reaction cavity may be used to rationalize the course of a solid state reaction. The chapter outlines crystal engineering as the systematic and rational design of crystalline materials with targeted physical and chemical properties. The reactivity of a crystal and any attempt at a rational use of organic solid state chemistry as a systematic tool cannot be separated from a need to understand and manipulate the subtle intermolecular interactions which compose a crystal. Numerous derivatives of 2-Benzyl-5-benzylidene cyclopentanone were found not only to pack in photoactive forms but also to react in a single-crystal-to-crystal-manner.
