New structures and chemical fuels for rotary molecular motors

• Applicant: Dr. Hannah Siera
• Subject Area: Organic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 548056959

A considerable part of movement in the living world is based on the function of autonomous, chemically driven molecular machines. Unidirectional rotary motors are an important type of these machines. Thus, for a long time, efforts have been made to generate synthetic systems that can rotate 360° around a single bond. Significant achievements have been made in this field in recent years. Based on this, the aim of this project is to develop various chemically driven rotary molecular motors and test their function. The incorporation of different functional groups and chirality centres into a biaryl motor should make it possible to investigate the influence of the structural and chemical properties of the system on factors such as speed, efficiency and torque of the motor. In addition, the use of alternative fuel reactions to drive rotary molecular motors will be tested to improve the performance of the motor.

• DFG Programme: WBP Fellowship
• International Connection: United Kingdom
• Host: Professor David A. Leigh, Ph.D.