Organic molecular compounds with modulated crystal structures

Even though the higher-dimensional superspace approach is an established method to describe aperiodic crystal structures, it is not yet fully considered and applied by a larger community of scientists. In this contribution the structural description of incommensurately and commensurately modulated molecular compounds is discussed and it is shown, that the higher-dimensional superspace approach is an elegant way for an exact structural description and an exact crystal-chemical analysis of such structures. While discussing several modulated molecular compounds, the idea behind the higher-dimensional superspace approach is shown. On the examples treated in the discussion it is explained, how to understand and how to interprete modulated molecular compounds. Also a short introduction is given to the higher-dimensional superspace approach itself, to the basic principles and to the applied nomenclature.