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An artificial molecular pump

Cheng, Chuyang; McGonigal, Paul R.; Schneebeli, Severin T.; Li, Hao; Vermeulen, Nicolaas A.; Ke, Chenfeng; Stoddart, J. Fraser

Authors

Chuyang Cheng

Severin T. Schneebeli

Hao Li

Nicolaas A. Vermeulen

Chenfeng Ke

J. Fraser Stoddart



Abstract

Carrier proteins consume fuel in order to pump ions or molecules across cell membranes, creating concentration gradients. Their control over diffusion pathways, effected entirely through noncovalent bonding interactions, has inspired chemists to devise artificial systems that mimic their function. Here, we report a wholly artificial compound that acts on small molecules to create a gradient in their local concentration. It does so by using redox energy and precisely organized noncovalent bonding interactions to pump positively charged rings from solution and ensnare them around an oligomethylene chain, as part of a kinetically trapped entanglement. A redox-active viologen unit at the heart of a dumbbell-shaped molecular pump plays a dual role, first attracting and then repelling the rings during redox cycling, thereby enacting a flashing energy ratchet mechanism with a minimalistic design. Our artificial molecular pump performs work repetitively for two cycles of operation and drives rings away from equilibrium toward a higher local concentration.

Citation

Cheng, C., McGonigal, P. R., Schneebeli, S. T., Li, H., Vermeulen, N. A., Ke, C., & Stoddart, J. F. (2015). An artificial molecular pump. Nature Nanotechnology, 10(6), 547-553. https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2015.96

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Apr 10, 2015
Online Publication Date May 18, 2015
Publication Date 2015
Deposit Date Sep 14, 2015
Journal Nature Nanotechnology
Print ISSN 1748-3387
Electronic ISSN 1748-3395
Publisher Nature Research
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 10
Issue 6
Pages 547-553
DOI https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2015.96
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1400142