Two-dimensional regular arrays of functional molecules like rotors represent a unique class of stimuli-responsive materials with exciting properties. Scientists led by Jiří Kaleta from IOCB Prague in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Colorado, and the University of Oxford prepared an array composed of a unique type of fullerene-based molecular rotors with a relatively high dipole moment.
The scientists successfully inserted these rotors into a porous zeolite-like matrix and characterized the surface inclusions by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and solid-state NMR techniques. They have found that half of the guest rotors is immersed relatively deeply into the matrix, while the other half shallowly. This resulted in different fullerene rotation barriers due to a different chemical environment based on the different rotor penetration depth.
The study was highlighted in Chemical Communications HOT Articles 2024.
- Read the paper: Santos Hurtado, C.; Bastien, G.; Rončević, I.; Dračínský, M.; Tortorici, T.; Rogers, C. T.; Michl, J.; Kaleta, J. Regular arrays of C60-based molecular rotors mounted on the surface of tris(o-phenylenedioxy)cyclotriphosphazene nanocrystals. Chem. Commun. 2024, 60, 960. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3CC04559E
