Mechanically-Driven Vase-Kite Conformational Switch in Cavitand Cross-Linked Polyurethanes

The eligibility of tetraquinoxaline cavitands (QxCav) as molecular grippers relies on their unique conformational mobility between a closed (vase) and an open (kite) form, triggered in solution by conventional stimuli like pH, temperature and ion concentration. In the present paper, the mechanochemical conformational switching of ad hoc functionalized QxCav covalently embedded in an elastomeric polydimethylsiloxane and a more rigid polyurethane matrix is investigated. A rigid polymer matrix is more effective in converting mechanical force into a conformational switch at the molecular level, provided that all four quinoxaline wings are covalently connected to the polymer.