posted on 2007-09-27, 00:00authored byWeidong Zhou, Dugang Chen, Junbo Li, Jialiang Xu, Jing Lv, Huibiao Liu, Yuliang Li
A novel light-powered molecular shuttle was synthesized which can switch the movement of a macrocycle between two distinct stationsdipeptide and zwitterionic MEby exploiting the photoisomerization of spiropyran. The macrocycle resides selectively in the dipeptide station
in the SP form and moves to the ME station under the irradiation of UV light. This movement process of the macrocycle is accompanied by
reversible absorptive output signals which can be detected by the naked eye.