Overtemperature-protection intelligent molecular chiroptical photoswitches

Jiabin Yao, Wanhua Wu (), Chao Xiao, Dan Su, Zhihui Zhong, Tadashi Mori and Cheng Yang ()
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Jiabin Yao: Sichuan University
Wanhua Wu: Sichuan University
Chao Xiao: Sichuan University
Dan Su: Sichuan University
Zhihui Zhong: Sichuan University
Tadashi Mori: Osaka University
Cheng Yang: Sichuan University

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Stimuli-responsive intelligent molecular machines/devices are of current research interest due to their potential application in minimized devices. Constructing molecular machines/devices capable of accomplishing complex missions is challenging, demanding coalescence of various functions into one molecule. Here we report the construction of intelligent molecular chiroptical photoswitches based on azobenzene-fused bicyclic pillar[n]arene derivatives, which we defined as molecular universal joints (MUJs). The Z/E photoisomerization of the azobenzene moiety of MUJs induces rolling in/out conformational switching of the azobenzene-bearing side-ring and consequently leads to planar chirality switching of MUJs. Meanwhile, temperature variation was demonstrated to also cause conformational/chiroptical inversion due to the significant entropy change during the ring-flipping. As a result, photo-induced chiroptical switching could be prohibited when the temperature exceeded an upper limit, demonstrating an intelligent molecular photoswitch having over-temperature protection function, which is in stark contrast to the low-temperature-gating effect commonly encountered.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22880-z

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