Parakka James P, Schumaker Robert R, Thoburn John D, Kesler Brenda S, Branz Stephen E
California Molecular Electronics Corporation, San José, California 95110-1011, USA.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2003 Dec;1006:94-103. doi: 10.1196/annals.1292.006.
Chiropticenes are a novel class of predesigned chiral molecular switches that are triggered and controlled by a combination of both light and electric field. Chiropticenes contain an optically active (chiral) center and, as a consequence, provide two accessible equal energy bistable states resembling the molecular elements of binary logic. Structural engineering of the basic switch design is investigated to modulate the thermal and optical switching behavior of the resulting compounds. A simple screening methodology is presented to detect switching behavior in the solid state employing standard NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy. Validation of this method is demonstrated by the switching properties of newly synthesized anthraquinone dye based Chiropticenes. Functioning as a chiroptical dipole switch, Chiropticenes promise broad applications in emerging optoelectronic and molecular electronic technologies.
手性光烯是一类新型的预先设计的手性分子开关，由光和电场共同触发和控制。手性光烯含有一个光学活性（手性）中心，因此提供了两个可及的等能双稳态，类似于二元逻辑的分子元件。对基本开关设计进行结构工程研究，以调节所得化合物的热开关和光开关行为。提出了一种简单的筛选方法，利用标准核磁共振和傅里叶变换红外光谱检测固态下的开关行为。新合成的基于蒽醌染料的手性光烯的开关特性证明了该方法的有效性。作为一种手性光偶极开关，手性光烯有望在新兴的光电子和分子电子技术中得到广泛应用。
