Coupled Nanomechanical Motions: Metal-Ion-Effected, pH-Modulated, Simultaneous Extension/Contraction Motions of Double-Domain Helical/Linear Molecular Strands

A new class of shape-enforced synthetic polyheterocyclic molecular strands, containing both a helical and a linear domain, has been designed and synthesized. On reaction with Pb­(II), under the effect of cation binding to the coordination subunits, the helical section unfolds into a linear shape in the complex and the linear domain folds into a helical ligand wrapped around the bound cations. Such double-domain ligand strands are thus able to undergo a combined unfolding–folding interconversion on binding and release of metal cations. These changes can be modulated through coupling to a competing ligand that reversibly binds and releases metal cations, when respectively unprotonated and protonated, on effecting alternate pH changes. The resulting process thus performs nanomechanical extension/contraction molecular motions of a linear motor type, which is fueled by acid–base neutralization.