Issue 13, 2019

Light triggers molecular shuttling in rotaxanes: control over proximity and charge recombination

Abstract

We present the synthesis of novel rotaxanes based on mechanically interlocked porphyrins and fullerene and their advanced investigations by means of photophysical measurements. To this end, a fullerene-capped dumbbell-type axle containing a central triazole was threaded through strapped (metallo)porphyrins—either a free-base or a zinc porphyrin. Femtosecond-resolved transient absorption measurements revealed charge-separation between the porphyrin and fullerene upon light excitation. Solvent polarity and solvent coordination effects induced molecular motion of the rotaxanes upon charge separation and enabled, for the first time, subtle control over the charge recombination by enabling and controlling the directionality of shuttling.

Graphical abstract: Light triggers molecular shuttling in rotaxanes: control over proximity and charge recombination

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
29 Nov 2018
Accepted
27 Feb 2019
First published
27 Feb 2019
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2019,10, 3846-3853

Light triggers molecular shuttling in rotaxanes: control over proximity and charge recombination

M. Wolf, A. Ogawa, M. Bechtold, M. Vonesch, J. A. Wytko, K. Oohora, S. Campidelli, T. Hayashi, D. M. Guldi and J. Weiss, Chem. Sci., 2019, 10, 3846 DOI: 10.1039/C8SC05328F

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