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Updated: Feb 18, 2026

Light-driven Molecular Motors on Surfaces for Single Molecular Imaging
Published on: March 13, 2019
Braking of a Light-Driven Molecular Rotary Motor by Chemical Stimuli
Thomas van Leeuwen1, Wojciech Danowski1, Stefano F Pizzolato1
1Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747, AG, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Artificial molecular motors hold great promise for application in responsive functional materials as well as to control the properties of biohybrid systems. Herein a strategy is reported to modulate the rotation of light-driven molecular motors. That is, the rotary speed of a molecular motor, functionalized with a biphenol moiety, could be decreased in situ by non-covalent substrate binding, as was established by 1 H NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopy. These findings constitute an important step in the development of multi-responsive molecular machinery.
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