Defining Unidirectional Motions and Structural Reconfiguration in a Macrocyclic Molecular Motor

Abstract

The construction of sophisticated molecular machines requires not only precise control of energy fueled motions but their integration into larger functional architectures. Macrocyclization of molecular motors is a way to harness the intrinsic directionality of their rotation and use them to actively power different processes at the nano-scale. An effective concept in this regard uses a defined fragment of the molecular motor as a revolving door within the macrocycle. In this way, motor motions can be transmitted to distant structural entities, other rotations can be actively accelerated, or mechanical molecular threading events can be realized. In this work, a dual macrocyclization approach is presented, which not only allows to supersize the revolving door element but also structurally reconfigure the macrocycle in which the revolving door rotates. Unique possibilities for a multi-level precision control over integrated directional motions are thus opened up without deteriorating the functionality of the molecular machine.