Pentacene, C(22)H(14), crystallizes in different morphologies characterized by their d(001)-spacings of 14.1, 14.5, 15.0 and 15.4 A. We have studied the crystal structure of the 14.1 and 14.5 A d-spacing morphologies grown by vapour transport and from solution. We find a close correspondence between the 14.1 A structure reported by Holmes, Kumaraswamy, Matzeger & Vollhardt [Chem. Eur. J. (1999), 5, 3399-3412] and the 14.5 A structure reported by Campbell, Monteath Robertson & Trotter [Acta Cryst. (1961), 14, 705-711]. Single crystals commonly adopt the 14.1 A d-spacing morphology with an inversion centre on both molecules in the unit cell. Thin films grown on SiO(2) substrates above 350 K preferentially adopt the 14.5 A d-spacing morphology, with a slightly smaller unit-cell volume.
Nine new molecular motors, consisting of a 2,3-dihydro-2-methylnaphtho[2,1-b]thiopyran or 2,3-dihydro-3-methylphenanthrene upper part and a (thio)xanthene, 10,10-dimethylanthracene, or dibenzocycloheptene lower part, connected by a central double bond, were synthesized. A single stereogenic center, bearing a methyl substituent, is present in each of the motors. MOPAC93-AM1 calculations, NMR studies, and X-ray analysis revealed that these compounds have stable isomers with pseudoaxial orientation of the methyl substituent and less-stable isomers with pseudoequatorial orientation of the methyl substituent. The photochemical and thermal isomerization processes of the motors were studied by NMR and CD spectroscopy. The new molecular motors all show two cis-trans isomerizations upon irradiation, each followed by a thermal helix inversion, resulting in a 360 degrees rotation around the central double bond of the upper part with respect to the lower part. The direction of rotation is controlled by a single stereogenic center created by the methyl substituent at the upper part. The speed of rotation, governed by the two thermal steps, was adjusted to a great extent by structural modifications, with half-lives for the thermal isomerization steps ranging from t(1/2)(theta) 233-0.67 h. The photochemical conversions of two new motors proceeded with near-perfect photoequilibria of 1:99.
The introduction of bulky substituents at the stereogenic center of light-driven second-generation molecular motors results in an acceleration of the speed of rotation. This is due to a more strained structure with elongated C=C bonds and a higher energy level of the ground state relative to the transition state for the rate-limiting thermal isomerization step. Understanding the profound influence that variation of the substituent at the stereogenic center holds over the rotational speed of the light-driven molecular motor has enabled the development of the fastest molecular motor reported thus far.
In this paper we present the smallest artificial light-driven molecular motor consisting of only 28 carbon and 24 hydrogen atoms. The concept of controlling directionality of rotary movement at the molecular level by introduction of a stereogenic center next to the central olefinic bond of a sterically overcrowded alkene does not only hold for molecular motors with six-membered rings, but is also applicable to achieve the unidirectional movement for molecular motors having five-membered rings. Although X-ray analyses show that the five-membered rings in the cis- and trans-isomer of the new molecular motor are nearly flat, the energy differences between the (pseudo-)diaxial and (pseudo-)diequatorial conformations of the methyl substituents in both isomers are still large enough to direct the rotation of one-half of the molecule with respect to the other half in a clockwise fashion. The full rotary cycle comprises four consecutive steps: two photochemical isomerizations each followed by a thermal helix inversion. Both photochemical cis-trans isomerizations proceed with a preference for the unstable diequatorial isomers over the stable diaxial isomers. The thermal barriers for helix inversion of this motor molecule have decreased dramatically compared to its six-membered ring analogue, the half-life of the fastest step being only 18 s at room temperature.
The fully reversible three-state blue/red/off emission from photo-/electrochromic substituted bis-thiaxanthylidenes is reported. The blue luminescence of the most stable (anti-folded) conformer of dimethyl- and dimethoxy-bis-thiaxanthylidene can be switched off by photochemical conversion to the meta-stable (syn-folded) conformer and switched on again by thermal reversion to the anti-folded state. The red luminescence of the bis-thiaxanthylium dication can be switched on by oxidation at approximately 1.0 and 1.2 V vs SCE of the syn- and anti-folded conformers respectively and switched off or to blue by reduction at approximately 0.35 V vs SCE.
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