Photoisomerization of a rotaxane hydrogen bonding template: light-induced acceleration of a large amplitude rotational motion.

Gatti, Francesco G; León, Salvador; Wong, Jenny K Y; Bottari, Giovanni; Altieri, Andrea; Morales, M Angeles Farran; Teat, Simon J; Frochot, Céline et al. · Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A · 2003

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Establishing methods for controlling aspects of large amplitude submolecular movements is a prerequisite for the development of artificial devices that function through rotary motion at the molecular level. Here we demonstrate that the rate of rotation of the interlocked components of fumaramide-derived [2]rotaxanes can be accelerated, by >6 orders of magnitude, by isomerizing them to the corresponding maleamide [2]rotaxanes by using light.

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