1. Radical-Pairing Interactions in a Molecular Switch Evidenced by Ion Mobility Spectrometry and Infrared Ion Spectroscopy
- Author
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Damien Sluysmans, Benoît Mignolet, Anne-Sophie Duwez, Edwin De Pauw, Jos Oomens, J. Fraser Stoddart, Emeline Hanozin, Jonathan Martens, Giel Berden, Denis Morsa, and Gauthier Eppe
- Subjects
Materials science ,Ion-mobility spectrometry ,Supramolecular chemistry ,Infrared spectroscopy ,010402 general chemistry ,Mass spectrometry ,01 natural sciences ,Supramolecular Chemistry ,Catalysis ,Ion ,donor-acceptor foldamer ,ion mobility ,infrared spectroscopy ,Research Articles ,mass spectrometry ,Molecular switch ,FELIX Molecular Structure and Dynamics ,010405 organic chemistry ,Foldamer ,General Medicine ,General Chemistry ,electron transfer ,Molecular machine ,0104 chemical sciences ,Chemical physics ,Research Article - Abstract
The digital revolution sets a milestone in the progressive miniaturization of working devices and in the underlying advent of molecular machines. Foldamers involving mechanically entangled components with modular secondary structures are among the most promising designs for molecular switch‐based applications. Characterizing the nature and dynamics of their intramolecular network following the application of a stimulus is the key to their performance. Here, we use non‐dissociative electron transfer as a reductive stimulus in the gas phase and probe the consecutive co‐conformational transitions of a donor‐acceptor oligorotaxane foldamer using electrospray mass spectrometry interfaced with ion mobility and infrared ion spectroscopy. A comparison of collision cross section distributions for analogous closed‐shell and radical molecular ions sheds light on their respective formation energetics, while variations in their respective infrared absorption bands evidence changes in intramolecular organization as the foldamer becomes more compact. These differences are compatible with the advent of radical‐pairing interactions., Gas‐phase non‐dissociative electron transfer is used for charge reduction of a donor‐acceptor oligorotaxane foldamer (green). The consecutive co‐conformational transition is monitored using ion mobility spectrometry and infrared ion spectroscopy. Comparing the collision cross section distributions (blue) and infrared spectra (red) recorded for analogous closed‐shell and radical systems highlights differences that can be attributed to radical‐pairing interactions.
- Published
- 2021
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