Mechanically interlocked luminescent molecules

Abstract

Research into mechanically interlocked luminescent molecules (MILMs), which is the overlapping of mechanically interlocked molecules and luminescent molecules, has intensified over the past few decades. These studies have tapped into and exploited the benefits of mechanically interlocked structures to achieve outstanding and stimulus‐responsive optical characteristics, resulting in the synthesis of new types of luminescent systems and exploring their potential uses in different applications. This review describes the salient attributes of MILMs and showcases some of the latest advancements in this field of research.

Stimuli‐responsive fluorescent hydrogels: Strategies and applications

“…Thus, host–guest interactions are also intrinsically dynamic, which as a versatile strategy can equip fluorescent hydrogels with stimuli‐responsiveness. Combining host–guest interactions with luminescent molecules can give new physical and chemical properties to the luminescent molecules and enable the detection of stimulus‐responsive materials on a macroscopic scale [16] . Compared to many other non‐covalent interactions, complexation between macrocyclic host–guest interactions is more stable, and the high selectivity makes it easier to regulate, leading to well‐defined stoichiometry, spatial networks, and fast recycling rates of damaged hydrogels [82] .…”

“… In recent decades, the explosive development of dynamic chemistry, for example, supramolecular chemistry, [5‐8] dynamic covalent chemistry, [9–13] molecular machines, [14–16] and molecular switches, [17–20] give rise to a variety of stimuli‐responsive dynamic soft materials, [21–24] including stimuli‐responsive hydrogels, which undergo macroscopic changes in response to certain external stimulistim. Schematic representation of (a) fluorescent organic hydrogel P(DMA‐DEAN)/P(SMA‐9‐ANA) and its (b) information coding/decoding process; (c) information‐coding, dual‐encryption, and dynamic fluorescent decryption procedures; (d) shape memorizing/recovering process [110] .…”

“…Hydrogels are highly hydrated, functional materials with a three‐dimensional (3D) network structure formed by cross‐linking hydrophilic gelators, [1–3] with mechanical flexibility, biocompatibility, and hydrophilicity [4] . In recent decades, the explosive development of dynamic chemistry, for example, supramolecular chemistry, [5–8] dynamic covalent chemistry, [9–13] molecular machines, [14–16] and molecular switches, [17–20] give rise to a variety of dynamic soft materials, [21–24] including stimuli‐responsive hydrogels, that can undergo macroscopic changes in response to certain external stimuli (e.g., light, heating/cooling, acid/base, mechanical forces, and one or more conditions in parallel). Some of them can mimic the adaptation of organisms to the environment in nature and have artificially controllable properties [25–27] .…”

Light-activation of molecular motors in polymersomes

“…Artificial molecular motors based on overcrowded alkenes can produce mechanical work and influence their environment by transforming photonic energy into continuous cyclic molecular motion; specifically, one half of the motor rotates unidirectionally with respect to the other half around the rotation axle. [1][2][3][4][5] Therefore, an exciting opportunity is the incorporation of motors in polymersomes to use the motor's rotation to drive the system out of its thermodynamic equilibrium and control the permeability, lateral fluidity, size, or other physical properties. This is important because polymersomes are vesicles that have emerged as promising delivery systems for all sorts of cargo, such as small drug molecules, probes, proteins, and genetic material.…”