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Orchestrating Molecular Motion with Light – From Single (macro)Molecules to Materials
Author(s) -
Bléger David
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/macp.201500330
Subject(s) - photochromism , azobenzene , isomerization , polarity (international relations) , nanotechnology , molecule , molecular switch , polymer , materials science , molecular machine , chemical physics , chemistry , organic chemistry , catalysis , biochemistry , composite material , cell
The possibility to control molecular systems with light holds much promise for the fields of materials life sciences. To achieve such control, compounds that are able to reversibly photoisomerize between two states or more can be employed. Several classes of photochromic units are available depending on which properties should be modulated upon isomerization, e.g., electronic gap, polarity, or geometry. The latter class, which is mostly based on E/Z isomerization, is particularly useful to remotely trigger motion at the single molecule level, giving rise to a wide range of applications at all scales after incorporation into the adequate architecture. In this article, recent advances in that direction are highlighted, including our own efforts to optimize the intrinsic properties of azobenzene photoswitches, as well as their integration into oligomers, polymers, and 3D frameworks.