Abstract
THEgrowing interest in miniaturization of electronic components is stimulating research on molecular assemblies with device-like functionalities1–5. Molecule-based devices have been reported that might act as sensors6–8, diodes9–11, logic gates12 and switches5,13–19. Molecular switches should ideally be able to respond controllably and reversibly to external triggers7,12,14,15,20,21. Here we report the synthesis of molecular redox switches based on helical metal complexes22–29 in which an iron ion can occupy one of two distinct binding cavities. Reversible translocation of the metal ion between these sites is achieved by chemical oxidation and reduction, owing to the different coordination preferences of the Fe(ii) and Fe(ni) states, and can be readily monitored spectroscopically.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Carter, F. L. Molecular Electronic Devices II (Dekker, New York, 1987).
Hopfield, J. J., Onuchic, J. N. & Beratan, D. N. J. phys. Chem. 93, 6350–6357 (1989).
Lehn, J. M. Angew. Chem. int. Edn engl. 29, 1304–1319 (1990).
Wild, U. P., Bernet, S., Kohler, B. & Renn, A. Pure appl. Chem. 64, 1335–1342 (1992).
Anders, J. et al. Ber. Bunsenges. phys. Chem. 97, 483–487 (1993).
Rubinstein, I., Steinberg, S., Tor, Y., Shanzer, A. & Sagiv, J. Nature 332, 426–429 (1988).
Huston, M. E., Akkaya, E. U. & Czarnik, A. W. J. Am. chem. Soc. 111, 8735–8737 (1989).
Bissell, R. A. et al. Chem. Soc. Rev. 21, 187–195 (1992).
Aviram, A. & Ratner, M. A. Chem. Phys. Lett. 29, 277–283 (1974).
Pomerantz, M., Aviram, A., McCorkle, A., Li, L. & Schrott, A. G. Science 255, 1115–1118 (1992).
Martin, A. S., Sambles, J. R. & Ashwell, G. J. Phys. Rev. Lett. 70, 218–221 (1993).
de Silva, A. P., Gunaratne, H. Q. N. & McCoy, C. P. Nature 364, 42–44 (1993).
Feringa, B. L., Jager, W. F. & de Lange, B. J. Am. chem. Soc. 113, 5468–5470 (1991).
Wasielewski, M. R., O'Neil, M. P., Gosztola, D., Niemczyk, M. P. & Svec, W. A. Pure appl. Chem. 64, 1319–1325 (1992).
Gilat, S. L., Kawai, S. H. & Lehn, J. M. J. chem. Soc., chem. Commun. 1439–1442 (1993).
Goulle, V., Harriman, A. & Lehn, J. M. J. chem. Soc., chem. Commun. 1034–1036 (1993).
Voegtle, F., Mueller, W. M., Mueller, U., Bauer, M. & Rissanen, K. Angew. Chem. int. Edn engl. 32, 1295–1297 (1993).
Bissell, R. A., Cordova, E., Kaifer, A. G. & Stoddart, J. F. Nature 369, 133–137 (1994).
Joulie, L. F., Schatz, E., Ward, M. D., Weber, F. & Yellowlees, L. J. J. chem. Soc., Dalton Trans. 799–804 (1994).
Aviram, A. Int. J. Quantum Chem. 42, 1615–1624 (1992).
Livoreil, A., Dietrich-Buchecker, C. O. & Sauvage, J.-P. J. Am. chem. Soc. 116, 9399–9400 (1994).
Tor, Y. Artificial Tripodal Ligands: Design, Synthesis and Properties (Weizmann Inst. of Science, Rehovot, Israel, 1990).
Libman, J., Tor, Y. & Shanzer, A. J. Am. chem. Soc. 109, 5880–5881 (1987).
Kraemer, R., Lehn, J.-M., Cian, A. D. & Fischer, J. Angew. Chem. int. Edn. engl. 32, 703–705 (1993).
Lehn, J.-M. et al. Proc natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84, 2565–2569 (1987).
Williams, A. F., Piguet, C. & Bernadinelli, G. Angew. Chem. int. Edn engl. 30, 1490–1492 (1991).
Piguet, C., Hopfgartner, G., Bocquet, B., Schaad, O. & Williams, A. F. J. Am. chem. Soc. 116, 9092–9102 (1994).
Constable, E. C. Angew. Chem. int. Edn. engl. 30, 1450–1451 (1991).
Constable, E. C., Hannon, M. J. & Tocher, D. A. Angew. Chem. int. Edn engl. 31, 230–232 (1992).
Raymond, K. N., Mueller, G. & Matzanke, B. F. Top Curr. Chem. 123, 49–102 (1984).
Hawker, P. N. & Twigg, M. V. (eds Wilkinson, G., Gillard, R. D. & McCleverty, J. A.) 1179–1288 (Pergamon, Oxford, 1987).
Gafni, Y., Weizman, H., Libman, J., Shanzer, A. & Rubinstein, I. J. Am. chem. Soc. (submitted).
van der Helm, D., Baker, J. R., Eng-Wilmot, D. L., Hossain, M. B. & Loghry, R. A. J. Am. chem. Soc. 102, 4224–4231 (1980).
Emery, T. & Neilands, J. B. J. Am. chem. Soc. 82, 3659–3662 (1960).
Burgess, J. & Prince, R. H. J. chem. Soc., A 1772–1775 (1966).
Saito, Y. in Topics in Stereochemistry Vol. 10 (eds Eliel, F. L. & Allinger, N. L.) 95–174 (Wiley, New York, 1978).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zelikovich, L., Libman, J. & Shanzer, A. Molecular redox switches based on chemical triggering of iron translocation in triple-stranded helical complexes. Nature 374, 790–792 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1038/374790a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/374790a0
This article is cited by
-
Redox-induced reversible metal assembly through translocation and reversible ligand coupling in tetranuclear metal sandwich frameworks
Nature Chemistry (2012)
-
Complexation and Separation of Amines, Amino Acids, and Peptides by Functionalized Calix[n]arenes
Journal of Inclusion Phenomena and Macrocyclic Chemistry (2005)
-
A nanomechanical device based on the B–Z transition of DNA
Nature (1999)
-
Iron flicks the switch
Nature (1995)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
