A molecular anion pump

Pumping ions against a concentration gradient through protein-based transporters is a cornerstone of numerous biological processes. Mimicking this function by using artificial receptors remains a daunting challenge, mainly because of the difficulties in balancing between the requirement for high binding affinities and precise and on-demand ion capture and release properties. We report a trimeric hydrazone photoswitch-based receptor that converts light energy into work by actively transporting chloride anion against a gradient through a dichloromethane liquid membrane, functioning as a molecular pump. The system manifests ease of synthesis, bistability, excellent photoswitching properties, and superb ON-OFF binding properties (difference of up to six orders of magnitude).