Confined molecular machines and switches

Nature has evolved a complex molecular machinery that orchestrates nearly all aspects of metabolism ranging from protein synthesis to cellular locomotion. Inspired by their pivotal role in the biological systems synthetic chemists have created a vast number of the artificial molecular machines capable of controllable structural motion similar to that shown by their biological counterparts. The pioneering studies on these molecules provided principles for their design and insight into their mechanism of operation and individual behaviour in the solution. However, virtually all of their biological counterparts operate while submerged in a crowded cellular environment and exhibit a collective behaviour arising from their organisation along multiple length scales. Therefore, the next key challenge in the development of the artificial systems is the organization of these molecules in dense mesoscopic assemblies allowing for amplification of the motion of the individual molecules through cooperative effects.
This dissertation addresses few aspects of this challenge and focuses predominantly on light-responsive molecular machines and switches in two- and three-dimensional architectures. First part of this thesis is devoted to the development of responsive solid materials based on overcrowded-alkene derived molecular motors and switches. The goal of the studies described in this part was to organize the light-responsive overcrowded-alkenes in solid materials without impairment of their function, culminated in the development of a material with a potential application in a light-regulated adsorption of gases. Research presented in the second part of this thesis describes preparation of responsive surfaces for various applications ranging from molecular electronics to switchable wettability.