A Light‐ and Electricity‐Driven Molecular Pushing Motor

Abstract

The synthesis and investigation of molecular artificial motors have been subject to massive developments in recent years. One challenge is to design machines driven by “clean” stimuli. Types of energies are considered as “clean” stimuli if their use leads to (almost) no side‐products, no byproducts, no dilution, or any other disruptive effects. We present herein a pushing motor that is driven by light and electricity, both being considered as “clean” stimuli. The switching units of the motor are an azobenzene and a thianthrene. The former is triggered by light, whereas the latter changes its structure as a result of a redox process achieved by cyclic voltammetry. The four states of the molecular motor were identified by quantum chemical methods and UV/Vis spectroscopy. The switching cycles can be performed several times without significant changes in the signals.