ABSTRACT
Molecular machines play key roles in many important biological processes including DNA replication, muscle contraction, mitosis, and bacteria propagation. Recently, synthetic examples of molecular machines have been developed that can contract, rotate, and shuttle back and forth upon application of an external stimuli such as light, heat, or chemical reagents. This entry provides an introduction and overview of the nascent field of synthetic molecular machines using recent examples from the literature. Molecular machines are devices made up of individual molecules or are assemblies of molecules that are capable of performing work. The entry specifically focuses on the differences, challenges, and advantages of molecular‐scale devices in comparison to macroscale devices.
