PPV materials are very stable and can be further functionalized along their main-chains, however due to shorter effective conjugations lengths (smaller than that of the oligoenes), the range of electronic tunability is smaller in these materials. In addition to this family of symmetric molecules other asymmetric oligoene molecules were synthesized as candidates for single-molecule rectification. These molecules allow different electronic coupling to the right and left electrodes, which may modulate their IV characteristics.

As functional elements in opto-electronic devices approach the singlemolecule limit, conducting organic molecular wires are the appropriate interconnects that enable transport of charges and charge-like particles such as excitons within the device. Reproducible syntheses and a thorough understanding of the underlying principles are therefore indispensable for applications like even smaller transistors, molecular machines and light-harvesting materials. Bringing together experiment and theory to enable applications in real-life devices, this handbook and ready reference provides essential information on how to control and direct charge transport. Readers can therefore obtain a balanced view of charge and exciton transport, covering characterization techniques such as spectroscopy and current measurements together with quantitative models. Researchers are thus able to improve the performance of newly developed devices, while an additional overview of synthesis methods highlights ways of producing different organic wires. Written with the following market in mind: chemists, molecular physicists, materials scientists and electrical engineers.

Molecular Electronics is self-contained and unified in its presentation. It can be used as a textbook on nanoelectronics by graduate students and advanced undergraduates studying physics and chemistry. In addition, included in this new edition are previously unpublished material that will help researchers gain a deeper understanding into the basic concepts involved in the field of molecular electronics.

Described is the synthesis of oligo(2-ethylphenylene-ethynylene)s and oligo(2-(3'ethylheptyl)phenylene-ethynylene)s via an iterative divergent convergent approach. Synthesized were the monomer, dimer, tetramer, and octamer of the ethyl derivative and the monomer, dimer, tetramer, octamer, and 16-mer of the ethylheptyl derivative. The 16-mer is 128 A long. At each stage in the iteration, the length of the framework doubles. Only three sets of reaction conditions are needed for the entire iterative synthetic sequence; an iodination, a protodesilylation, and a Pd/Cu-catalyzed cross coupling. The oligomers were characterized spectroscopically and by mass spectrometry. The optical properties are presented which show the stage of optical absorbance saturation. The size exclusion chromatography values for the number average weights, relative to polystyrene, illustrate the tremendous differences in the hydrodynamic volume of these rigid rod oligomers verses the random coils of polystyrene. These differences become quite apparent at the octamer stage. These oligomers may act as molecular wires in molecular electronic devices and they also serve as useful models for understanding related bulk polymers.

The interfacing of man-made electronics with redox proteins and enzymes not only tells us a great deal about the levels of sophistication active in biology, but also paves the way to using it in derived sensory devices. Some of these have already had a profound impact on both clinical diagnostics and the quality of life enjoyed by those unfortunate enough to live with disease. Though much remains to be learnt about controlling and optimising these interfacial interactions, their potential uses are, if anything, growing. Written by leaders in the field, this is the only book to focus on the generation of biosensing interfaces with analyses and control at the molecular level. Some of these are enzyme based, others associated with the generation of surfaces for protein-protein recognition. Summaries of state-of-the-art investigations into the interfacing of structurally complex molecular species with electrode surfaces are included along with their design, analysis and potential application. Studies into the "wiring" of biomolecules to man-made surfaces through the use of delocalised "molecular wires" or carbon nanotubes are detailed as are the application of surface chemical and genetic engineering methods to the construction of robust, orientated biomolecular monolayers.

A comprehensive overview about the emerging field of photoswitches and their applications in materials science and biology Molecular Photoswitches guides the reader through the basic molecular structures of photochromic compounds and their applications in the area of photoresponsive materials as well as in the biological context. The initial chapters describe individual classes of molecular photoswitches, introducing their principles of photochromism, typical switching wavelengths, thermal stability of photoisomers and other key information, which is ordinarily spread in the literature. These classes comprise i.a. azobenzenes, diazocines, arylazoheterocycles, arylhydrazones, indigoids, photochromic imines, or acylhydrazones. The book also covers: Catalysis with molecular switches Applications in photochromic porous materials, liquid crystals, or nanoparticles Light-responsive molecular machines, logic devices, and molecular magnets Photomodulation of biological systems: photoswitchable biopolymers, lightmodulated antibiotics, cytotoxins, ion channel inhibitors, light-propelled artificial muscles, and computationally designed photochromic proteins This two-volume work is a valuable guide for researchers and non-experts working in the field of photochemistry, organic chemistry, catalysis, materials science, biology, and medicine.