A photochemical method to evidence directional molecular motions

Benjamin Lukas Regen-Pregizer, Ani Ozcelik, Peter Mayer, Frank Hampel and Henry Dube ()
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Benjamin Lukas Regen-Pregizer: Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy
Ani Ozcelik: Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy
Peter Mayer: Department of Chemistry and Center for Integrated Protein Science CIPSM
Frank Hampel: Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy
Henry Dube: Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Light driven synthetic molecular motors represent crucial building blocks for advanced molecular machines and their applications. A standing challenge is the development of very fast molecular motors able to perform rotations with kHz, MHz or even faster frequencies. Central to this challenge is the direct experimental evidence of directionality because analytical methods able to follow very fast motions rarely deliver precise geometrical insights. Here, a general photochemical method for elucidation of directional motions is presented. In a macrocyclization approach the molecular motor rotations are restricted and forced to proceed in two separate ~180° rotation-photoequilibria. Therefore, all four possible photoinduced rotation steps (clockwise and counterclockwise directions) can be quantified. Comparison of the corresponding quantum yields to the unrestricted motor delivers direct evidence for unidirectionality. This method can be used for any ultrafast molecular motor even in cases where no high energy intermediates are present during the rotation cycle.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40190-4

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