Synthesis and properties of TTFV-hinged molecular tweezers

Two molecular tweezers containing a tetrathiafulvalene vinylogue (TTFV) core were synthesized via sequential Sonogashira and Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons (HWE) reactions. The electrochemical and spectroscopic properties of these TTFV tweezers were investigated by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and spectro-electrochemical measurements. The property characterizations suggest potential application in electrochemically-actuated molecular switching devices.