Manipulating the rotation modes by electricity and light based on the second-generation molecular motor

The molecular motors with controllable rotation modes are crucial for constructing the nanoscale machinery. We found that the energy barrier of the first isomerization step could be decreased significantly by anionization of the second-generation molecular motor and an oscillatory movement could be realized by a combination of a photochemical isomerization step, an anionization step, an anionic isomerization step and a neutralization step. The reorganization energy calculation based on Marcus theory indicates that oscillatory movement of molecular motor could also be realized by light-induced electron transfer reaction. This work proposes a new opportunity for constructing nano-systems based on the 2nd-generation molecular motors with characteristics of multiple stimuli-responsive and high-level control of motional mode.