Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Center, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China.
Department of Basic Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan.
Adv Sci (Weinh). 2022 May;9(13):e2200022. doi: 10.1002/advs.202200022. Epub 2022 Mar 2.
In this work, a real-time precise electrical method to directly monitor the stochastic binding dynamics of a single supramolecule based on the host-guest interaction between a cyclodextrin and an azo compound is reported. Different intermolecular binding states during the binding process are distinguished by conductance signals detected from graphene-molecule-graphene single-molecule junctions. In combination with theoretical calculations, the reciprocating and unidirectional motions in the trans form as well as the restrained reciprocating motion in the cis form due to the steric hindrance is observed, which could be reversibly switched by visible and UV irradiation. The integration of individual supramolecules into nanocircuits not only offers a facile and effective strategy to probe the dynamic process of supramolecular systems, but also paves the way to construct functional molecular devices toward real applications such as switches, sensors, and logic devices.
在这项工作中，报道了一种基于环糊精与偶氮化合物主客体相互作用的实时精确电学方法，可直接监测单个超分子的随机结合动力学。通过石墨烯-分子-石墨烯单分子结检测到的电导信号，区分了结合过程中的不同分子间结合状态。结合理论计算，观察到反式构象中的往复和单向运动以及顺式构象中由于空间位阻导致的受限往复运动，这可以通过可见光和紫外光照射可逆切换。将单个超分子集成到纳米电路中不仅为探测超分子体系的动态过程提供了一种简便有效的策略，而且为构建功能分子器件铺平了道路，这些分子器件可应用于开关、传感器和逻辑器件等实际领域。
