Indane Based Molecular Motors: UV-Switching Increases Number of Isomers

We describe azophenylindane based molecular motors (aphin-switches) which have two different rotamers of trans-configuration and four different rotamers of cis-configuration. The behaviors of these motors were investigated both experimentally and computationally. The conversion of aphin-switch does not yield single isomer but a mixture of these. Although the trans to cis conversion leads to the increase of the system entropy some of the cis-rotamers can directly convert to each other while others should convert via trans-configuration. The motion of aphin-switches resembles the work of a mixing machine with indane group serving as a base and phenol group serving as a beater. The aphin-switches presented herein may provide a basis for promising applications in advanced biological systems or particularly in cases where on demand disordering of molecular packing has value, such as lipid bilayers.

Automated summary

This study describes azophenylindane based molecular motors, which have different rotamers in trans and cis configurations. The behaviors of these motors were investigated experimentally and computationally, revealing that the conversion of the motor results in a mixture of isomers. Some cis-rotamers can directly convert to each other, while others require conversion via trans-configuration. The motion of these motors is similar to a mixing machine, with the indane group acting as a base and the phenol group as a beater. These aphin-switches may have promising applications in advanced biological systems or in cases where molecular packing disordering is desired, such as lipid bilayers.