An electrochemically controllable nanomechanical molecular system utilizing edge-to-face and face-to-face aromatic interactions.
[formula: see text] A new molecular system, 2,11-dithio[4,4]metametaquinocyclophane containing a quinone moiety, was designed and synthesized. As the quinone moiety can readily be converted into an aromatic pi-system (hydroquinone) upon reduction, the nanomechanical molecular cyclophane system exhibits a large flapping motion like a molecular flipper from the electrochemical redox process. The conformational changes upon reduction and oxidation are caused by changes of nonbonding interaction forces (devoid of bond formation/breaking) from the edge-to-face to face-to-face aromatic interactions and vice versa, respectively.
Kim
Heon Gon
HG
National Creative Research Initiative Center for Superfunctional Materials, Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology, San 31, Hyojadong, Namgu, Pohang 790-784, Korea.
Lee
Chi-Wan
CW
Yun
Sunggoo
S
Hong
Byung Hee
BH
Kim
Young-Ok
YO
Kim
Dongwook
D
Ihm
Hyejae
H
Lee
Jung Woo
JW
Lee
Eun Cheol
EC
Tarakeshwar
P
P
Park
Su-Moon
SM
Kim
Kwang S
KS