Disequilibrating azobenzenes by visible-light sensitization under confinement
Description
The ability to photoswitch azobenzenes from their stable E isomer to the metastable Z state is the basis of numerous applications of these molecules. However, this reaction typically requires UV light, which limits the applicability, particularly in biological settings. Here we introduce DisEquilibration by Sensitization under Confinement (DESC), a biomimetic approach to switch various azobenzenes using visible light of desired color, including red. DESC relies on a combination of a macrocyclic host and a photosensitizer, which act together to bind and selectively sensitize E-azobenzenes. After switching to the Z isomer, the azobenzene loses its affinity to—and is expelled from—the host, which can convert additional copies of E into Z. In this way, the host/photosensitizer complex acts as a light-driven supramolecular machine, converting photon energy into chemical energy in the form of out-of-equilibrium photostationary states, including ones that cannot be accessed via direct photoexcitation.
Show moreYear of publication
2023
Authors
DRYAD - Publisher
Arri Priimagi - Creator
Nikita Durandin - Creator
Tero-Petri Ruoko - Creator
Unknown organization
Dan Oron - Creator
Igor Schapiro - Creator
Jonathan Church - Creator
Julius Gemen - Creator
Magdalena Odaybat - Creator
Maren Weißenfels - Creator
Matthew Fuchter - Creator
Michał Białek - Creator
Miri Kazes - Creator
Moran Feller - Creator
Rafal Klajn - Creator
Rishir Kalepu - Creator
Veniamin Borin - Creator
Yael Diskin-Posner - Creator
Other information
Fields of science
Materials engineering
Language
English
Open access
Open