Fast and slow walking driven by chemical fuel

Chem Commun (Camb). 2023 Mar 28;59(26):3886-3889. doi: 10.1039/d3cc00357d.

Abstract

We demonstrate the fast forward and slow backward motion of a biped on a tetrahedral track using chemical fuel, cooperative binding and kinetic selectivity. Walking of the biped is based on its dibenzyl amine feet that bind to zinc porphyrin units and, upon protonation, to dibenzo 24-crown-8 sites affording pseudorotaxane linkages.