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

Molecules. 2022 Oct 9;27(19):6716. doi: 10.3390/molecules27196716.

Abstract

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.

Keywords: UV-switches; indane; molecular motors; rotamers.

MeSH terms

  • Indans*
  • Isomerism
  • Lipid Bilayers*
  • Phenols

Substances

  • Indans
  • Lipid Bilayers
  • Phenols
  • indan