Premium
A Helicate‐Based Three‐State Molecular Switch
Author(s) -
Chen Xiaofei,
Gerger Thomas M.,
Räuber Christoph,
Raabe Gerhard,
Göb Christian,
Oppel Iris M.,
Albrecht Markus
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201806607
Subject(s) - counterion , molecular switch , twist , state (computer science) , ligand (biochemistry) , nanotechnology , computer science , chemistry , materials science , molecule , mathematics , receptor , algorithm , ion , biochemistry , geometry , organic chemistry
The control of structural transformations triggered by external signals is important for the development of novel functional devices. In the present study, it is demonstrated that helicates can be designed to structurally respond to the presence of different counterions and to adopt either a compressed or an expanded structure. Reversible switching is not only possible between those two states, furthermore, the twist of the aggregate also can be controlled. Thus, three out of four possible states of a helicate (expanded/left‐handed, expanded/right‐handed, compressed/left‐handed) based on an enantiomerically pure ester bridged dicatecholate ligand are specifically addressed by introduction, exchange, or removal of countercations. This approach is used to reversibly switch between the different states or to successively address them.