Light-powered, artificial molecular pumps: a minimalistic approach

• Giulio Ragazzon,
• Massimo Baroncini,
• Serena Silvi,
• Margherita Venturi and
• Alberto Credi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 2096–2104, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.214

• nonsymmetric molecular axle, thus forming the basis for the development of artificial molecular pumps. Keywords: azobenzene; molecular machine; photochemistry; rotaxane; supramolecular chemistry; Review Introduction Since ancient times, man has tried to construct devices that facilitate life. With the advent

• significant distances in comparison with typical diffusive paths in solution. Schematic representation of the threading/dethreading of a pseudorotaxane (a) and of the relative unidirectional transit of a macrocycle along a nonsymmetric molecular axle (b). By incorporating the system shown in (b) in a rotaxane

Direct monitoring of opto-mechanical switching of self-assembled monolayer films containing the azobenzene group

• Einat Tirosh,
• Enrico Benassi,
• Silvio Pipolo,
• Marcel Mayor,
• Michal Valášek,
• Veronica Frydman,
• Stefano Corni and
• Sidney R. Cohen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 834–844, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.93

• molecular-level mechanical manipulators. As an example, macroscopic transport at the solid–liquid interface was driven by modifying the solid–liquid surface tension at a droplet front by using a molecular switch based on a SAM of rotaxane [8]. Central to the function of such systems are changes in the inter