Novel cruciform structures as model compounds for coordination induced single molecule switches
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Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Qualitative Identification of Carboxylic Acids, Boronic Acids, and Amines Using Cruciform Fluorophores
Published on: August 19, 2013
Sergio Grunder1, Roman Huber, Songmei Wu
1Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Ring 19, CH-4056 Basel.
Abstract:
We have synthesized various molecular cruciforms consisting of two different crossing n-systems and comprising crosswise arranged thiol- and pyridine-anchor groups. With these model compounds we strive towards the investigation of a new switching concept based on the potential dependent coordination of pyridines to gold electrodes in an electrochemical set-up. Integration of these cruciform molecules between both electrodes of a mechanically controlled break junction in a liquid environment gave insight into their single molecule transport properties. These studies allowed individual transport characteristics to be assigned to the bar subunits of the cruciforms but also revealed the remaining experimental challenges to realize the suggested switching concept.
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