title: Synthesis and single-molecule imaging of highly mobile adamantane-wheeled nanocars.
abstract: The synthesis and single-molecule imaging of two inherently fluorescent nanocars equipped with adamantane wheels is reported. The nanocars were imaged using 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene (BODIPY) as the chromophore, which was rigidly incorporated into the nanocar chassis via Sonogashira cross-coupling chemistry that permitted the synthesis of nanocars having different geometries. In particular, studied here were four- and three-wheeled nanocars with adamantane wheels. It was found that, for the four-wheeled nanocar, the percentage of moving nanocars and the diffusion constant show a significant improvement over p-carborane-wheeled nanocars with the same chassis. The three-wheeled nanocar showed only limited mobility due to its geometry. These results are consistent with a requisite wheel-like rolling motion. We furthermore developed a model that relates the percentage of moving nanocars in single-molecule experiments with the diffusion constant. The excellent agreement between the model and the new results presented here as well as previous single-molecule studies of fluorescent nanocars yields an improved understanding of motion in these molecular machines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, USA.
authors.forename: Pin-Lei E
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Lin-Yung
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Saumyakanti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khatua
authors.forename: Anatoly B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Kolomeisky
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Link
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tour
mesh_terms: D000218:Adamantane / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004058:Diffusion; D004735:Energy Transfer; D008422:Materials Testing; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009038:Motion; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010316:Particle Size
chemical_list: D000218:Adamantane