A molecular balloon: expansion of a molecular gyrotop cage due to rotation of the phenylene rotor.
A macrocage molecule with a bridged phenylene rotor has been reported as a molecular gyrotop, because the rotor can rotate even in a crystalline state. Although the most stable cage structure of the molecular gyrotop in a crystal was folded and shrunken at low temperature, expansion of the cage was observed at high temperature due to rapid rotation of the phenylene in a crystal. This phenomenon is analogous to the deflation and inflation of a balloon. Moreover, the unusually large thermal expansion coefficient of the crystal was estimated in the temperature range in which the expansion of the cage was observed, indicating a new function of dynamic states of the molecules.
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Kagawa Campus, Tokushima Bunri University, Sanuki, Kagawa, Japan. setaka@kph.bunri-u.ac.jp
Wataru
W
Setaka
Kentaro
K
Yamaguchi
D000473:Alkanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D001554:Benzene / Q000737:chemistry*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D003460:Crystallization; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D006358:Hot Temperature; D047028:Macrocyclic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D056004:Molecular Dynamics Simulation
D000473:Alkanes; D047028:Macrocyclic Compounds; D001554:Benzene