In a collaboration over multiple institutes led by Daniel Strand we developed an intriguing story about these class of molecules. Upon electrical stimuli they unfold and change their color. The process can be repeated over and over again, forming a molecular motor and color switch.
The in our group developed KiMoPack helped to overcome the experimental challenges in extracting the spectral features and illustrate the switching process.

Find the whole story here: Electro-mechanically switchable hydrocarbons based on [8]annulenes. Nat Commun 13, 860 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28384-8