Synthetic molecular machines and polymer/monomer size switches that operate through dynamic and non-dynamic covalent changes

Abstract

The present chapter is focused on how synthetic molecular machines (e.g. shuttles, switches and molecular motors) and size switches (conversions between polymers and their units, i.e., conversions between relatively large and small molecules) can function through covalent changes. Amongst the interesting examples of devices herein presented are molecular motors and size switches based on dynamic covalent chemistry which is an area of constitutional dynamic chemistry. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin-Heidelberg.