Individual-Molecule Perspective Analysis of Chemical Reaction Networks: The Case of a Light-Driven Supramolecular...

The first study in which stochastic simulations of a two-component molecular machine are performed in the mass-action regime is presented. This system is an autonomous molecular pump consisting of a photoactive axle that creates a directed flow of rings through it by exploiting light energy away from equilibrium. The investigation demonstrates that the pump can operate in two regimes, both experimentally accessible, in which light-driven steps can be rate-determining or not. The number of photons exploited by an individual molecular pump, as well as the precision of cycling and the overall efficiency, critically rely on the operating regime of the machine. This approach provides useful information not only to guide the chemical design of a self-assembling molecular device with desired features, but also to elucidate the effect of the environment on its performance, thus facilitating its experimental investigation.