A redox-gated slow-fast-stop molecular rotor

Org Lett. 2011 Oct 21;13(20):5632-5. doi: 10.1021/ol202356t. Epub 2011 Sep 30.

Abstract

A pentiptycene-derived p-phenylenediamine mimics a molecular double-rotor system that displays redox-dependent rotation rates for the amino rotors about the pentiptycene-amine C-N bond. The rotation is accelerated in the radical cation state but stopped in the di(radical cation) state. Electronic interplay of the two rotors is also discussed.