Translating the action of molecular motors to supramolecular polymers

• Published in: Aggregate (Hoboken) Vol. 3; no. 3
• Main Authors: Dekker, Magda M. J., Vantomme, Ghislaine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Guangzhou John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.06.2022; Wiley
• Subjects: amplification of asymmetry; chirality; Conflicts of interest; molecular motor; Morphology; Polymers; Spectrum analysis; supramolecular polymer
• ISSN: 2692-4560; 2766-8541; 2692-4560
• DOI: 10.1002/agt2.247

First studied in methanol, the rotation of the molecular motor showed to be a four-step unidirectional rotary cycle process featuring two photochemical isomerizations, each followed by a thermal helix inversion (THI), similar to other first-generation molecular motors.[] Subsequent experiments revealed that the stable (P,P)-cis isomer forms uniform helical fibers of micrometer length in aqueous media. Due to stabilization of the metastable (M,M)-trans isomer by the supramolecular fibers, the standard Gibbs free energy of activation of THI increased from 78.8 kJ mol–1 in methanol to 85.0 kJ mol–1 in water, and at the same time increasing the lifetime of the motor from 12.4 s to 2.6 min (Figure ). [...]the 360° rotation of the motor was completed by irradiation in a water/THF 7/3 mixture, followed by warming the sample for THI and the stable (P,P)-cis helical fibers were recovered demonstrating a unique multistate supramolecular system in water with light-controllable properties.