Control of Rocking Mobility of Rotaxanes by Size Change of Stimulus-responsive Ring Components

Abstract

Abstract A rotaxane having a ring molecule composed of a metaphenylene unit which swings as a pendulum and a dianthrylethane unit which undergoes isomerization in response to external stimuli was synthesized. The rates of the rocking motion were switched reversibly and changed substantially in response to photo and thermal stimuli by changing the size of the ring component.