Light-driven rotary molecular motors

A method of using a compound as a molecular motor that can be driven by light to produce directional motion, comprising the step of:

• introducing light to a compound to produce directional motion, where the compound is defined by formula (2):
• wherein:
• Cb is a carbocyclic or heterocyclic group wherein the atom within the cyclic structure is singly bound to A and selected from the group consisting C, N, Si, and Sn;
• A is CR, COR, CSR, CNR2, CCN, CCONR2, CNO2, CNNAr, CX′, or N, wherein Ar is aryl or heteroaryl and X′ is a halide;
• G is CR, CR2, C═CR2, C═O, C═S, C═NR, N, NR, O, or S;
• n is 0, 1, or 2;
• E is independently CH, CH2, N, NH, O, or S;
• m is independently 0, 1, 2, or 3;
• X is independently R1, SiR13, ═NR1, NR12, ═O, OR1, ═S, or SR1;
• Y is independently R1, SiR13, ═NR1, NR12, ═O, OR1, ═S, or SR1;
• q is independently 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4;
• R is independently H;
• substituted or unsubstituted, branched or straight chain C1-C18 alkyl;
• substituted or unsubstituted, branched or straight chain C2-C18alkenyl;
• substituted or unsubstituted, branched or straight chain C1-C18 alkynyl;
• —(OCH2CH2)1-15OH;
• —(OC3H6)1-15OH;
• substituted or unsubstituted, saturated or unsaturated, carbocycles or heterocycles;
• or
• substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heteroaryl;
• and
• R1 is independently H;
• substituted or unsubstituted, branched or straight chain C1-C18 alkyl;
• substituted or unsubstituted, branched or straight chain C2-C18 alkenyl;
• substituted or unsubstituted, branched or straight chain C2-C18 alkynyl;
• —(OCH2CH2)1-15OH;
• —(OC3H6)1-15OH;
• substituted or unsubstituted, saturated or unsaturated, fused or unfused carbocycles
• or heterocycles;
• or
• substituted or unsubstituted, fused or unfused aryl or heteroaryl;
• wherein when R1 is a cyclic structure the heteroatoms Si, N, O, or S within the definitions of X and Y may form part of the cyclic structure.