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Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Light-driven Molecular Motors on Surfaces for Single Molecular Imaging
Published on: March 13, 2019
MHz unidirectional rotation of molecular rotary motors
Martin Klok1, Nicola Boyle, Mary T Pryce
1Laboratory for Organic Chemistry, Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
A combination of cryogenic UV-vis and CD spectroscopy and transient absorption spectroscopy at ambient temperature is used to study a new class of unidirectional rotary molecular motors. Stabilization of unstable intermediates is achieved below 95 K in propane solution for the structure with the fastest rotation rate, and below this temperature measurements on the rate limiting step in the rotation cycle can be performed to obtain activation parameters. The results are compared to measurements at ambient temperature using transient absorption spectroscopy, which show that behavior of these motors is similar over the full temperature range investigated, thereby allowing a maximum rotation rate of 3 MHz at room temperature under suitable irradiation conditions.
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