From the Synthesis of Nanovehicles to Participation in the First Nanocar Race—View from the French Team

Abstract

This review article presents our accomplished work on the synthesis of molecular triptycene wheels and their introduction into nanovehicles such as wheelbarrows and nanocars, equipped with two and four wheels, respectively. The architecture of nanovehicles is based on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which provide a potential cargo zone. Our strategy allowed us to obtain planar or curved nanocars, exhibiting different mobilities on metallic surfaces. Our curved nanocar participated in the first nanocar race organized in Toulouse (France) on 28 and 29 April 2017.

Keywords

• nanowheel
• wheelbarrow
• nanocar
• polyaromatic hydrocarbon
• triptycene
• subphthalocyanine
• single molecule
• STM
• nanocar race