Light driven molecular lock comprises a Ru(bpy)₂(hpip) complex and cucurbit[8]uril

Abstract

Upon light irradiation, complex 1 was transformed from a U-shaped conformation to an interlocked complex.

Dynamics of Excitons in Conjugated Molecules and Organic Semiconductor Systems

“…Complex mechanical motions including bending, walking, and helical motion were demonstrated in a soft liquid-crystal network by combination of a set of the system properties, such as dynamic chirality, directionality of motion, and shape change of a single motor. 779 A feasible strategy for the fabrication of a photodriven molecular machine operating as a "lock" was proposed by Yang et al 780 Yang and coauthors used a complex of [Ru(bpy)2-(hpip)] 2+ −MV 2+ (1) and a host molecule of cucurbit [8]uril (CB [8]), which resembles a U-shaped conformation in aqueous solution. Upon light irradiation, two complexes 1 become reversibly locked through the formation of a MV •+ radical dimer that is stabilized in the cavity of CB [8] with Ru complexes as blockers, while complex 1 is transformed from the U-shape to an interlocked complex conformation.…”

“…A feasible strategy for the fabrication of a photodriven molecular machine operating as a “lock” was proposed by Yang et al . Yang and coauthors used a complex of [Ru­(bpy)­2­(hpip)] 2+ –MV 2+ ( 1 ) and a host molecule of cucurbit[8]­uril (CB[8]), which resembles a U-shaped conformation in aqueous solution.…”