Organic Supramolecular Chemistry: A Research Programme on Synthetic Molecular Motors and Machines
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Manchester
Department Name: Chemistry
Abstract
Perhaps the best way to appreciate the technological potential of controlled molecular-level motion it is to recognise that nanomotors and molecular-level machines lie at the heart of every significant biological process. Over billions of years of evolution Nature has not repeatedly chosen this solution for achieving complex task performance without good reason. In stark contrast to biology, none of mankind's fantastic myriad of present day technologies exploit controlled molecular-level motion in any way at all: every catalyst, every material, every polymer, every pharmaceutical, every chemical reagent, all function exclusively through their static or equilibrium dynamic properties. When we learn how to build artificial structures that can control and exploit molecular level motion, and interface their effects directly with other molecular-level substructures and the outside world, it will potentially impact on every aspect of functional molecule and materials design. An improved understanding of physics and biology will surely follow.The Leigh group are one of the world leaders in the design and construction of artificial molecular motors and synthetic molecular machine systems. As well as having prepared some of the first synthetic motors and functional machine molecules, they have explained in chemical terms the concept of ratcheting and introduced it as a design concept for synthetic molecular motor systems. This is a fundamental tool that, once fully explored and mastered, will allow scientists to drive chemical systems away from equilibrium in a controlled manner. This research programme seeks to expand and exploit our understanding of these systems to make more advanced and more functional synthetic molecular machines, including molecular motors driven by chemical fuels, synthetic molecular structures that can 'walk' down molecular tracks, and artificial molecular machines that can act as nano-robots, synthesizing complex polymers of a particular sequence.
Planned Impact
It is widely recognised that nanotechnology has strong socioeconomic relevance for all industrialised nations in both the near and long term. It is anticipated that applications of functional nanoscale systems will help reduced demand for materials, accelerate and improve drug discovery, reduce power requirements, facilitate recycling, reduce life-cycle costs and increase miniaturisation. In doing so, in the UK it will help address the needs of our citizens and contribute to competitiveness and sustainable development objectives, public health, employment, energy, transport and security.The main route to economic impact of this work programme will be through the revolutionary advances in synthesis, molecular design and thinking that this programme will bring about.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
David Leigh (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Ayme JF
(2014)
Lanthanide template synthesis of a molecular trefoil knot.
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Ayme JF
(2013)
Template synthesis of molecular knots.
in Chemical Society reviews
Ayme JF
(2012)
Pentameric circular iron(II) double helicates and a molecular pentafoil knot.
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Ayme JF
(2014)
The self-sorting behavior of circular helicates and molecular knots and links.
in Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)
Ayme JF
(2015)
Strong and Selective Anion Binding within the Central Cavity of Molecular Knots and Links.
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Beswick J
(2015)
Selecting reactions and reactants using a switchable rotaxane organocatalyst with two different active sites.
in Chemical science
Beves J
(2014)
Toward Metal Complexes That Can Directionally Walk Along Tracks: Controlled Stepping of a Molecular Biped with a Palladium(II) Foot
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Beves J
(2015)
A Solomon Link through an Interwoven Molecular Grid
in Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Beves JE
(2013)
Tetrameric cyclic double helicates as a scaffold for a molecular Solomon link.
in Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)
Blanco V
(2015)
Artificial switchable catalysts.
in Chemical Society reviews
Description | This grant was a tremendous success, achieving all of its deliverables and surpassing its goals in many areas. More than one-in-three of the papers published from the grant were highlighted in the media. Our paper on a 'molecular robot' mimic of the ribosome, 'Sequence-Specific Peptide Synthesis by an Artificial Small-Molecule Machine', Science 339, 189 (2013) was highlighted in 'Breakthroughs of the Year 2013' by Science [Science 342, 1441 (2013)] and as one of the 'Top Chemistry Moments of 2013' by the American Chemical Society [C&EN, 10 Jan 2014], and attracted attention in the popular media all around the world. The outputs of EP/H021620/1&2 established firm foundations on how to make (interlocked) architectures for molecular machines and control their dynamics. It also provided proof-of-principle demonstrations of how to use synthetic molecular machines for complex task performance, e.g. basic switchable catalysts and the 1st generation ribosome mimic |
Exploitation Route | This research programme has expanded our understanding of mechanically interlocked architectures and how to use these systems to make more advanced and more functional synthetic molecular machines, including molecular motors driven by chemical fuels, synthetic molecular structures that can 'walk' down molecular tracks, and artificial molecular machines that can act as nano-robots, synthesizing complex polymers of a particular sequence It is widely recognised that nanotechnology has strong socioeconomic relevance for all industrialised nations in both the near and long term. It is anticipated that applications of functional nanoscale systems will help reduce demand for materials, accelerate and improve drug discovery, reduce power requirements, facilitate recycling, reduce life-cycle costs and increase miniaturisation. |
Sectors | Aerospace Defence and Marine Chemicals Education Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
URL | http://catenane.net/pages/publications.html |
Description | The findings that have arisen as a result of work that was funded from this grant have advanced the knowledge in the field of molecular motors and machines significantly. Public awareness of the area of research was further enhanced following the award of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry ("for the design and synthesis of molecular machines"). As one of the leading groups in the world specialising in the area of molecular machines, we have been able to harness the increased interest in molecular machines that has resulted from the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Prof. Leigh (the PI of the grant) has given numerous interviews in the media on the subject of molecular machines, disseminating the scientific advances to the public - in some cases, via media sources not normally associated with scientific news, such as Forbes, the Guardian, New York Times, National Public Radio (USA), El Mundo, Frankfurter Allgemeine, to name a few. Latterly, dissemination activities have extended to an even wider audience - Prof. Leigh has been invited to give numerous presentations to students (and their teachers) in secondary schools and sixth-form colleges, reflecting the growing interest in this exciting area among younger audiences. In some instances, teachers have incorporated the topic of molecular machines into their teaching materials. |
First Year Of Impact | 2013 |
Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Chemicals,Education |
Impact Types | Cultural Societal Economic |
Description | (ArtMoMa) - Artificial Molecular Machines |
Amount | € 4,146,516 (EUR) |
Funding ID | 860434 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 03/2020 |
End | 02/2024 |
Description | (BIOMOLMACS) - Molecular Machines Functioning in Cells |
Amount | € 4,107,786 (EUR) |
Funding ID | 859416 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 01/2020 |
End | 12/2023 |
Description | (MolMacIP) - Molecular Machines with Integrated Parts |
Amount | € 2,471,095 (EUR) |
Funding ID | 786630 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 02/2019 |
End | 01/2024 |
Description | (ProgNanoRobot) - Programmable NanoRobotics for Controlled Manipulation of Molecular Cargoes |
Amount | € 224,934 (EUR) |
Funding ID | 837339 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 03/2019 |
End | 03/2021 |
Description | EPSRC Programme Grant |
Amount | £5,324,406 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Title: Molecular Robotics; Grant Reference: EP/P027067/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2017 |
End | 10/2022 |
Description | H2020 - Marie Sklodowska-Curie IF Fellowship: EU project 892035 - ReadingMachine |
Amount | € 227,040 (EUR) |
Funding ID | EU project 892035 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 04/2020 |
End | 04/2022 |
Description | H2020-FETOPEN-2016-2017 (FET-Open - Novel ideas for radically new technologies) Topic: FETOPEN-01-2016-2017 Type of action: RIA |
Amount | € 3,997,843 (EUR) |
Funding ID | Proposal number: 766864 "Mechanics with Molecules" (MEMO) |
Organisation | European Commission H2020 |
Sector | Public |
Country | Belgium |
Start | 09/2017 |
End | 09/2021 |
Description | Royal Society Research Professorship |
Amount | £881,125 (GBP) |
Funding ID | RP150108 |
Organisation | The Royal Society |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2016 |
End | 09/2021 |
Description | ChemistryWorld podcast "Rotaxanes" |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | A podcast of Chemistry World's Katrina Krämer speaking to Prof. David Leigh about molecular machines. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://www.chemistryworld.com/podcasts/rotaxanes/3007468.article |
Description | The Daedalus Lecture 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The concept of the Daedalus Lecture is that it delves into that grey area between science and fiction and seeks to encourage the audience to believe questionable solutions to everyday problems that may or may not exist. The lecture - open to the general public and aimed at a sixth form level audience - aims apply the basic Daedalus doctrine: think up something unknown but potentially useful and propose a cunning solution that might be, or there again maybe not, flawed. The intention is to challenge, enthral and engage the audience by suggesting outlandish applications of seemingly sound scientific principles. The second Daedalus Lecture was presented by Professor David Leigh on October 8th 2019. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://conferences.ncl.ac.uk/daedalus/ |