Issue 26, 2017

A combined optical and EPR spectroscopy study: azobenzene-based biradicals as reversible molecular photoswitches

Abstract

Azobenzene compounds are known as versatile examples for photoswitchable systems because of their isomeric cis- and trans-configurations. The switching between these isomers can be reversibly controlled by light excitation. In this study we characterize two members of this class by joining the azobenzene moiety with each two paramagnetic nitroxide spin labels. Two different linkers were chosen to tune the molecular properties. The combined approach using optical and EPR spectroscopy proved the reversibility of photoexcitation and high fatigue resistance. Furthermore, depending on the nature of the linker, PELDOR distance measurements monitored clearly the photo-induced structural changes of the azobenzene unit. Thus, a powerful concept is presented resulting from the combination of these two complementary spectroscopic techniques.

Graphical abstract: A combined optical and EPR spectroscopy study: azobenzene-based biradicals as reversible molecular photoswitches

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
31 Mar 2017
Accepted
01 Jun 2017
First published
02 Jun 2017

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2017,19, 17263-17269

A combined optical and EPR spectroscopy study: azobenzene-based biradicals as reversible molecular photoswitches

E. A. Jaumann, S. Steinwand, S. Klenik, J. Plackmeyer, J. W. Bats, J. Wachtveitl and T. F. Prisner, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2017, 19, 17263 DOI: 10.1039/C7CP02088K

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