Light‐Responsive (Supra)Molecular Architectures: Recent Advances

Abstract

The development and investigation of (supra)molecular‐based architectures characterized by light‐activated functionalities is a highly relevant topic of chemical research. The interest on photo‐controlled systems arises not only from their potential applications in different fields of technology but also from their scientific significance related to the understanding of light–matter interactions at the nanoscale. Indeed, light is a peculiar and unique tool as it can be conveniently applied to supply the energy required to affect and operate a system and, at the same time, to probe its state and investigate its transformations. Some basic aspects of light‐induced processes in (supra)molecular architectures are discussed here in the frame of their use to implement novel functionalities in nanostructured systems and materials. In this perspective, a few recent examples from our own work will be illustrated which are meant to provide an overview of the current directions in this highly cross‐disciplinary field of research.

Role of Cavity Losses on Nonadiabatic Couplings and Dynamics in Polaritonic Chemistry

“…4,7,8,[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] Azobenzene has been studied as a prototypical molecule for photoisomerization that can be potentially used as a molecular photo-switch or energy storage material, among other applications. 22,23 The excited-state dynamics of azobenzene accessible by visible-light excitation are guided by a quasi-harmonic potential along the isomerization coordinate (R) with a minimum that approximately coincides with the transition-state value of R on the ground-state surface. Hence, photochemical activation of cisazobenzene yields the trans-isomer with nearly equal likelihood as relaxation back to the cisisomer 8,14 (see Figure 1).…”

Physico-Chemical and Light-Induced Properties of Quinoline Azo-dyes Polymers

“…In the case of qA-N(CH 3 ) 2 , the π-π* absorption band lies in the range of 350-550 nm and completely overlaps with the n-π* transition band. Therefore, it can be classified as pseudostilbenes type of azobenzene derivative in Rau's classification due to total overlap of the π-π* and n-π* absorption bands and an extremely fast back conversion cis-trans [1,2,24].…”

The Electric Field Responses of Inorganic Ionogels and Poly(ionic liquid)s

“…Stimuli-responsive materials are the materials that are able to sense and response to external stimuli, such as temperature, pH value, light, electric and magnetic field, by changing properties or structures in a controllable way [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. For example, light-responsive molecules and temperature-responsive polymers are well known branches of stimuli-responsive materials [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. Among various stimuli-responsive materials, electrorheological (ER) fluids are considerably attractive because of their rapid and reversible response to electric field.…”