The field of molecules in motion, for which movements and shape changes are triggered and controlled from outside, has been indisputably one of the most rapidly developing areas of the last decade. Clearly, molecular chemists in general are able to elaborate more and more complex species, as beautifully demonstrated by the synthesis of amazingly complicated natural products. For instance, the total synthesis of compounds such as taxol and brevetoxin B represents a formidable tour de force, as does that of many other recent examples. However, most of the time, once the compound has been made,...

The field of molecules in motion, for which movements and shape changes are triggered and controlled from outside, has been indisputably one of the most rapidly developing areas of the last decade. Clearly, molecular chemists in general are able to elaborate more and more complex species, as beautifully demonstrated by the synthesis of amazingly complicated natural products. For instance, the total synthesis of compounds such as taxol and brevetoxin B represents a formidable tour de force, as does that of many other recent examples. However, most of the time, once the compound has been made,...