engleski

Towards a light activated molecular transporter

Biomolecular machines exploit the energy derived from ATP hydrolysis to perform complex tasks, such as the directional transport of substances within cells.[1] The realization of an artificial molecular transporter is a challenge in nanoscience and can have an impact on technological and biomedical applications.[2] Here we present the design and synthesis of a nanoscale molecular transporter that uses light as the energy source. The system is based on the repetition of photoisomerizable “pumpmodules” (Figure 1, b) inspired from pseudorotaxane-based supramolecular pumps developed recently in our group.[3] In these pumps, the E ⇆ Z photoisomerization of an azobenzene unit in a molecular axle causes the directional threading and dethreading of a crown ether ring (Figure 1, a). We envisage that, thanks to the action of a few photoactive pumps connected in series, molecular rings could be moved unidirectionally along a molecular track. The macrocycles may be functionalized with a cargo, or with a unit capable of signaling the position of the ring on the axle. A dimeric prototype of the track has been synthetized in order to investigate, in a preliminary system, the effective transport of rings under light irradiation. The ability of the device to operate away from equilibrium upon illumination is also being studied.

molekulski strojevi ; svjetlost ; usmjereno gibanje ; samoudruživanje

nije evidentirano