Research Profile - Dr Sam Motherwell

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Dr Sam Motherwell first joined the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre (CCDC) in 1968 where he worked on the first version of the Cambridge Structural Database as well as being involved with the structural research during that time. He then worked for the Cambridge University Library for a number of years before returning to the CCDC in 1992 and is currently manager of the Research Group based there.�His research interests centre on the use of the Cambridge Structural Database in crystal structure prediction and crystal engineering. Data mining using the applications software and knowledge developed by the CCDC is very useful for crystal engineering, particularly in the investigation of structural motifs and their potential synthon applicability. In a recent CrystEngComm paper (Motherwell et al., CrystEngComm, 2004, 584-588) (which was highlighted in Chemical Science (reference to be added)), Motherwell and co-workers analysed the hydrogen bonding motifs formed in sulfonate salts. The robust nature of a particular R2,2(8) motif (bidentate motif) was confirmed and could be predicted to occur with a fair degree of confidence.�

The structure of Form II beta-D-allose forms a helix using a 61 operator, generated by O6...O6 and O3...O1 H-bonds in the short axis direction.