Nanomechanical Switches for ON-OFF Catalysis and Interswitch Communication

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Michael Schmittel
• Subject Area: Organic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation
• Term: from 2013 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 237115133

Coupled molecular switching plays an important role in almost all aspects of our existence. For instance, biological switches intercommunicate chemically to regulate in detail all processes that are elementary for life. Although, molecular switches, for example sliding switches (= shuttles) on the basis of rotaxanes/catenanes, have celebrated startling success, establishing a directed chemical communication among them is a terra incognita. As an alternative we intend, based on latest developments from our research, to further develop the family of triangular nanoswitches that operate via chemical input and output signals. The focus will be on signaling in catalytically active systems and on enabling a variety of regulatory scenarios: from communication and catalysis to catalytic reaction networks administrated by two nanoswitches and to feedback control in catalysis. This work should thus not only improve our understanding of chemical communication on the nanoscale, but it may equally open new vistas for systems chemistry; for example, how can one interconnect molecule-based gates and storage units as well as artificial synapses via chemical exchange processes.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants