Self-Resetting Bistable Redox Molecular Machines for Fullerene Recognition

Addressing control over molecular machines resulting in variable output modulation by mimicking nature mechanisms is a current hot topic. The exploitation of reversibility in thiol/disulfide motifs in chemical systems flanked by nonplanar corannulene moieties capable to recognize fullerenes is presented herein. Two redox-based machines have been conceived for this purpose: an ON/OFF switch that activates its binding properties upon dimerization and a self-resetting (i.e., with an automated backward process) host that substantially modulates its affinity.

Automated summary

This article discusses the use of mimicking natural mechanisms to address control and output modulation of molecular machines. The reversible thiol/disulfide motifs in chemical systems are utilized with nonplanar corannulene moieties capable of recognizing fullerenes. Two redox-based machines have been devised: an ON/OFF switch activated by dimerization and a self-resetting host with an automated backward process that substantially modulates its affinity.