Autonomous Unidirectional Motion about a C-C Single Bond Driven by a Cyclic Biocatalytic Redox Reaction Network

Nature uses out-of-equilibrium systems that drive counter-thermodynamic behaviour, such as the movement seen in adenosine triphosphate synthase and the bacterial flagellar motor. These systems harness chemical energy to promote directional motion at a molecular level. Reports of synthetic molecular motors with controlled directionality are dominated by the light-driven rotary molecular motors developed by the Feringa group, in which photochemically powered motion occurs about a C=C double bond. More recently, the first autonomous chemically fuelled motor has been reported by the Leigh group, where controlled motion takes place about a C-N single bond.  Here we introduce the first autonomous redox-powered molecular motor inspired by natural redox processes, which utilizes biocatalytic cyclic deracemization as a means of generating directional motion about a C-C single bond.