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Yonsei News

[YONSEI NEWS] Study of Möbius-Band Type Molecules

연세대학교 홍보팀 / news@yonsei.ac.kr
2009-05-18

Professor Kim Dong-ho published his paper on Nature and Chemistry The article on Möbius-band type molecules was published in Nature Chemistry by spectroscopy laboratory for functional π-electronic systems (project leader: Professor Dongho Kim) of the Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University (Nature Chemistry 2009, 1, 113-122). A Möbius-band is an object with only one side and only one boundary component. This band can be made by a paper with a half-twist (180°), joining the ends together. Since the introduction of the concept, Möbius strips have drawn wide interest from artists, engineers and scientists, and we have seen numerous Möbius-type structures in pictures, buildings, emblems, rollercoaster rails and pulley belts, as well as many patents that involve applications of the concept. In parallel with these developments, there have been continuous efforts devoted to synthesizing Möbius-type molecules in chemistry. Contrary to what has proved true in macroscopic world, it has not been so easy to synthesize such molecules. In order to find out the Möbius aromatic and antiaromatic molecules, Dr. Kim’s group have collaborated with Professor Atsuhiro Osuka of the Department of Chemistry, Kyoto University, and performed various spectroscopic investigations. As a result, they have discovered various types of Möbius-shaped expanded porphyrins and explored interesting photophysical properties of these molecules. The synthetic methods of Möbius aromatic expanded porphyrins are now in active progress. In line with exploring their interesting π-electronic properties, many new research areas in Möbius aromatic expanded porphyrins will be widely open in the near future, including nanoelectronics, multidimensional display materials and data storage techniques. This work was financially supported by the Star Faculty and WCU programs from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of Korea.