Switchable, mechanically interlocked molecules have attracted much interest on account of their ability to alter the relative positions of their ring and dumbbell components in response to external stimuli, such as changes in pH, the absorption of light, and the consecutive addition or removal of electrons. This switching at a molecular level has been harnessed in a range of devices, including nanoelectromechanical ones, surface-property controllers, mesoporous nanoparticle-mounted nanovalves, and molecular electronic devices. Redox-responsive bistable [2]rotaxanes and [2]catenanes are of considerable interest because the redox-responsive switching process is usually rapid and precise and can be controlled within solid-state devices, as well as on surfaces.
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