A Directly Linked Ferrocene-Naphthalenediimide Conjugate: Precise Control of Stacking Structures of π-Systems by Redox Stimuli

摘要

Control and switching of the interactions between π-conju-gated molecules are of great interest for the construction of functional it-assemblies toward electrical and optical nano-devices. Extensive efforts have so far been devoted to developing molecular actuators where the conformation of the related π-conjugated systems can be changed by external stimuli such as redox and light. However, it remains a challenge to change the stacking structure and the electronic states of the π-conjugated molecules in a programmed manner, because covalently linked π-systems would be either too rigid or too flexible, and non-covalently linked π-systems would be too brittle to maintain their structures in solution. In this context, it occurred to us that stacking conformation of the π-conjugated molecules can be regulated by associating with pivoting motion of a rigidly connected rotator.