Photogearing at the molecular scale: Mechanistic principles for converting Brownian motion into directed rotation

The dissertation will focus on the mechanistic principles underlying photogearing at the molecular scale, i.e. the conversion of a light-driven primary motion into a mechanically coupled secondary rotation. While many molecular systems undergo photoinduced conformational changes, only a limited number enable controlled transmission of motion analogous to macroscopic gears. This work aims to elucidate how unidirectional molecular motors can be combined with originally Brownian rotors to enforce correlated, directional motion through steric, conformational, or supramolecular constraints. The project will integrate molecular design, synthesis, photochemical and kinetic studies, and mechanistic analysis to distinguish genuine mechanical coupling from mere energetic or allosteric effects. Particular attention will be paid to identifying structural features that govern efficiency, directionality, and robustness of motion transfer. The results are expected to provide general design rules for photogearing systems and contribute to the fundamental understanding of motion control in artificial molecular machinery.

Study program: Organic chemistry