Science & tech · 2018
Can a molecular holder keep two potential at a predictable distance?
A rigid, porphyrin-based molecular holder bound two spin-active Y@C82 fullerenes at a measured separation of 4.87 nm, with a narrow spread of distances. Molecular simulations had predicted a center-to-center distance of 5.0 nm.
Details
Paramagnetic endohedral fullerenes with long spin coherence times, including N@C60 and Y@C82, are being explored as potential spin quantum bits, or qubits. Using them for quantum information processing requires a way to hold them in fixed spatial arrangements.
In this molecular synthesis and measurement study, the researchers synthesized a porphyrin-based two-site receptor, designated receptor 1. Its rigid structure binds spin-active Y@C82 fullerenes at a center-to-center distance predicted by molecular simulations to be 5.0 nm.
The researchers measured the spin–spin dipolar coupling using double electron electron resonance, a pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy technique. Analysis of that coupling gave a distance of 4.87 nm, with a small distribution of distances.
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