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Updated: Apr 5, 2026

Light-driven Molecular Motors on Surfaces for Single Molecular Imaging
Published on: March 13, 2019
Chiral Hydrogen Bond Environment Providing Unidirectional Rotation in Photoactive Molecular Motors
Cristina García-Iriepa1,2, Marco Marazzi1, Felipe Zapata1
1†Departamento de Quı́mica Fı́sica, Universidad de Alcalá, E-28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
Abstract:
Generation of a chiral hydrogen bond environment in efficient molecular photoswitches is proposed as a novel strategy for the design of photoactive molecular motors. Here, the following strategy is used to design a retinal-based motor presenting singular properties: (i) a single excitation wavelength is needed to complete the unidirectional rotation process (360°); (ii) the absence of any thermal step permits the process to take place at low temperatures; and (iii) the ultrafast process permits high rotational frequencies.
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