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March 21, 2026Angewandte Chemie International Edition0 citationsOpen Access

Crystals as Rockets: Modulation of the Salient Temperature in Cocrystals by Solvent Mixture Composition

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EHErnesto A. Hernández‐MoralesDBDayra Barreto‐HernándezDGDazaet Galicia‐Badillo

Key Points

  • The research aims to explore how the composition of solvent mixtures affects the thermal properties and mechanical motion in cocrystals.
  • Synthesize isostructural cocrystals of ICZ and BPE with various solvents.
  • Use X-ray diffraction and solid-state NMR to confirm solvent incorporation.
  • Analyze thermal properties with DSC-TGA to assess transition temperatures and thermal actuation.
  • Cocrystals exhibit a thermosalient effect upon heating.
  • Transition temperatures vary with different solvent compositions, indicating controllable thermal responses.
  • Mechanical motion is achieved by releasing occluded solvent mixtures from the crystal structure.

Abstract

Harnessing mechanical motion in molecular crystals is a critical goal for developing novel energy conversion materials. Among known strategies, the ejection of guest molecules from the lattice via the jumping-mate approach offers a direct means of propulsion. Here, we present isostructural cocrystals of indolo3,2-acarbazole (ICZ) and (E)-1,2-di(pyridin-4-yl)ethene (BPE) that incorporate solvents such as acetone, ethyl acetate, or tetrahydrofuran. X-ray diffraction and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies confirmed the presence of solvents or solvent mixtures. Upon heating, these channel-type cocrystals exhibit a thermosalient effect, with temperature regulation achieved by releasing pure or solvent mixtures. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry (DSC-TGA) analyses revealed that the transition temperatures changed progressively, demonstrating controllable thermal actuation through the release of occluded solvents. This work demonstrates a simple yet powerful way to regulate mechanical responses in molecular crystals, thereby advancing the design of responsive energy conversion materials.

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Cite This Study

Hernández‐Morales et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69be36d46e48c4981c675fa3https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202526010
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