Talk:Molecular switch

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[edit] The first switchable compound?

I don't understand why the example of the intramolecular photochemical dimerization of a bisanthracene is given as the first molecular switch. There any many examples of molecular switches that predate this publications, such as pH swiches (pH indicators), photoswitches (diarylethene and azobenzene, and redox switches (tetrathiafulvalene). M stone 13:35, 8 July 2007 (UTC)

Hi Stone, thanks for getting involved in this article. If the Stoddart/Whitesides/Shinkay trio do indeed pick up the nobelprize in october Wiki should be able to present an article. If you have older literature on this topic please include or leave references here. The problem I am having researching is that the reviews I have held in my hands are utterly useless; too detailed or just promoting the authors research (favorite Stoddart line: "the first molecular switches coming out of our laboratory...."). A am trying to backtrack older literature but for instance the Stoddart 1994 nature article credits Vogtle but complete ignores Shinkay. Also before 1994 molecular switches were not called molecular switches yet. V8rik 17:58, 8 July 2007 (UTC)

  • I think I solved it V8rik 20:02, 9 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Redox molecular switches

I think that your most recent revisions have made the page much better. However, the page still lacks any significant discussion of redox switches. These are important since all applications in molecular computers are most likely going to involve redox switches. In Stoddart's most important publication on molecular switches he integrates redox switchable [2]rotaxane to produce a working if not practical electronic memory device.

A 160-kilobit molecular electronic memory patterned at 1011 bits per square centimetre Jonathan E. Green1, Jang Wook Choi1, Akram Boukai1, Yuri Bunimovich1, Ezekiel Johnston-Halperin1, Erica DeIonno1, Yi Luo1, Bonnie A. Sheriff1, Ke Xu1, Young Shik Shin, Hsian-Rong Tseng, J. Fraser Stoddart and James R. Heath1 Nature; 2007; 445, pp 414-417; doi:doi:10.1038/nature05462 M stone 23:09, 9 July 2007 (UTC)

Many thanks for the input, i will read the article on my next trip to the library and report back V8rik 20:36, 10 July 2007 (UTC)