Unidirectional Molecular Transportation Utilizing Multiple Hydrazone-type Switches

Abstract

To date, many artificial molecular machines with various functions, such as unidirectional linear and rotary motion, transportation of a cargo molecule, and multiple-step synthesis, have been developed. However, most of them have only one movable part, such as a switching part and a rotating part. For artificial molecular machines to achieve complex and sophisticated tasks, the coordination of multiple units is necessary. Therefore, this project aims at a molecular machine that unidirectionally transports a cargo molecule, 3-mercaptopropanehydrazide, between two aldehyde stations by a coordinated switching motion of two hydrazones. These hydrazone switches change their configuration and conformation depending on the pH, allowing transportation of a cargo molecule connected to them. The cargo molecule is first dissociated from the station by hydrazone exchange, transferred from one arm to the other, and finally connected to the other station. So far, the model studies of cargo transfer between the two arms and the reloading of the arm with a new cargo molecule have been conducted. As for the synthesis, all parts of the molecular machine have been synthesised and some of them have been connected. The success of this project will pave the way to molecular machines with coordinated dynamics that perform sophisticated tasks reminiscent of biological systems.

Date of Award	1 Aug 2019
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	David Leigh (Supervisor) & Michael Greaney (Supervisor)