title: In trap fragmentation and optical characterization of rotaxanes.
abstract: The first experiments on trapped rotaxanes are presented, combining collision induced fragmentation and in-trap laser spectroscopy. The intrinsic optical properties of three rotaxanes and their non-interlocked building blocks (thread and macrocycle) isolated in a quadrupolar ion trap are investigated. The excitation and relaxation processes under thermal activation as well as under photo-activation are addressed. The light and collision induced fragmentation pathways show that the degradation mechanisms occurring in the rotaxane are highly dependent on the nature of the thread. In the prospective of operating photoswitchable molecules, photo-activation is achieved in a controlled way by depositing photo-energy in the desired sub-unit of a mechanically interlocked structure.
authors: FOM Institute for Plasma Physics Rijnhuizen, Edisonbaan 14, 3439 MN Nieuwegein, The Netherlands. A.M.Rijs@Rijnhuizen.nl
authors: Anouk M
authors: AM
authors: Rijs
authors: Isabelle
authors: I
authors: Compagnon
authors: Alissa
authors: A
authors: Silva
authors: Jeffrey S
authors: JS
authors: Hannam
authors: David A
authors: DA
authors: Leigh
authors: Euan R
authors: ER
authors: Kay
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Dugourd