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Heat Engine Drives Transport of an FeII 4 L4 Cage and Cargo.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Nguyen, Bao-Nguyen T 
Grommet, Angela B 
Tron, Arnaud 
Georges, Maureen CA 
Nitschke, Jonathan R  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4060-5122

Abstract

The directed motion of species against a chemical potential gradient is a fundamental feature of living systems, underpinning processes that range from transport through cell membranes to neurotransmission. The development of artificial active cargo transport could enable new modes of chemical purification and pumping. Here, a heat engine is described that drives chemical cargo between liquid phases to generate a concentration gradient. The heat engine, composed of a functionalized FeII 4 L4 coordination cage, is grafted with oligoethylene glycol imidazolium chains. These chains undergo a conformational change upon heating, causing the cage and its cargo to reversibly transfer between aqueous and organic phases. Furthermore, sectional heating and cooling allow for the cage to traverse multiple phase boundaries, allowing for longer-distance transport than would be possible using a single pair of phases.

Description

Keywords

metal organic cages, molecular cargo transport, phase transfer, supramolecular chemistry, thermally responsive materials

Journal Title

Adv Mater

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0935-9648
1521-4095

Volume Title

32

Publisher

Wiley
Sponsorship
European Research Council (695009)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/P027067/1)