Mechanical single-molecule potentiometers with large switching factors from ortho-pentaphenylene foldamers

Jinshi Li, Pingchuan Shen, Shijie Zhen, Chun Tang, Yiling Ye, Dahai Zhou, Wenjing Hong (), Zujin Zhao () and Ben Zhong Tang
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Jinshi Li: South China University of Technology
Pingchuan Shen: South China University of Technology
Shijie Zhen: South China University of Technology
Chun Tang: Xiamen University
Yiling Ye: Xiamen University
Dahai Zhou: Xiamen University
Wenjing Hong: Xiamen University
Zujin Zhao: South China University of Technology
Ben Zhong Tang: South China University of Technology

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Molecular potentiometers that can indicate displacement-conductance relationship, and predict and control molecular conductance are of significant importance but rarely developed. Herein, single-molecule potentiometers are designed based on ortho-pentaphenylene. The ortho-pentaphenylene derivatives with anchoring groups adopt multiple folded conformers and undergo conformational interconversion in solutions. Solvent-sensitive multiple conductance originating from different conformers is recorded by scanning tunneling microscopy break junction technique. These pseudo-elastic folded molecules can be stretched and compressed by mechanical force along with a variable conductance by up to two orders of magnitude, providing an impressively higher switching factor (114) than the reported values (ca. 1~25). The multichannel conductance governed by through-space and through-bond conducting pathways is rationalized as the charge transport mechanism for the folded ortho-pentaphenylene derivatives. These findings shed light on exploring robust single-molecule potentiometers based on helical structures, and are conducive to fundamental understanding of charge transport in higher-order helical molecules.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20311-z

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