Molecular Crystals on the Move: From Single-Crystal-to- Single-Crystal Photoreactions to Molecular Machinery

摘要

The physical and chemical properties of molecular crystals can be traced back to their molecular and macroscopic properties. The nature of their components and packing structures are just as important as the symmetry of the ensemble and the direction of measurement, or anisotropy. For this reason, photoreactive molecular crystals are very appealing from a materials-science perspective. As their composition and structure evolve as a function of reaction progress, their physical and material properties are affected in a predetermined and often controllable manner. It has also been suggested that the properties of materials can be modulated with amphidynamic crystals, which are specifically designed with static and mobile components that are capable of responding to the presence of external fields. Thus, the conjunction of anisotropic physical properties, controllable chemical process, addressable dynamics, and collective phenomena suggest many challenges and opportunities for the development of crystalline molecular machines.