Search results
Search for "switching mechanisms" in Full Text gives 2 result(s) in Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry.
Rotaxanes with integrated photoswitches: design principles, functional behavior, and emerging applications
- Jullyane Emi Matsushima,
- Khushbu,
- Zuliah Abdulsalam,
- Udyogi Navodya Kulathilaka Conthagamage and
- Víctor García-López
Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 2345–2366, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.179
- shuttling dynamics. In this review, we discuss key examples of photoswitchable rotaxanes, organized according to the position of the photoswitch, either embedded in the axle or incorporated into the macrocycle. We examine the major classes of photoswitches used, including their switching mechanisms and the
Graphical Abstract
Figure 1: Schematic of common rotaxanes (left) and depiction of the macrocycle shuttling (right).
Figure 2: Structure of some common photoswitches integrated into rotaxanes.
Figure 3: Rotaxane with an acridane photoswitch on the axle modulates the translation of a CBQT4+ macrocycle ...
Figure 4: Hydrogel composed of [2]rotaxanes featuring a central azobenzene in the axle and a cyclodextrin mac...
Figure 5: Dendrimer composed of [2]rotaxane with an azobenzene photoswitch functioning as a macroscopic actua...
Figure 6: (a) Structure of the [2]rotaxane and (b) mechanism for K+ cations transport across lipid bilayers. Figure 6...
Figure 7: Dithienylethene-based [2]rotaxane used in writing patterning applications: (a) rotaxane with open d...
Figure 8: Dithienylethene-based [1]rotaxane shuttling motion triggered by pH changes (top). Dithienylethene p...
Figure 9: Depiction of a fumaramide-based [2]rotaxane photoswitching cycle and deposition on glass and mica s...
Figure 10: Hydrazone-based rotaxane controls helical pitch in a liquid crystal. Figure 10 was adapted from [73] (© 2024 S. ...
Figure 11: (a) Light- and pH-responsive Förster resonance energy transfer observed on a spiropyran-based [2]ro...
Figure 12: Photoresponsive bending of artificial muscle with [c2]daisy chain reported by Harada and collaborat...
Figure 13: Light-responsive shuttling motion of [2]rotaxane based on a stiff-stilbene photoswitch. Figure 13 was reprod...
Figure 14: Azobenzene-based rotaxane modulating lipid bilayers upon photoisomerization. Figure 14 was adapted from [23] (© ...
Figure 15: Depiction of fluorescence quenching processes upon external stimuli of a dithienylethene-based [2]r...
Figure 16: Diagrammatic illustration of rotaxane 1-H-SP depicting interconversions between the four isomeric s...
Figure 17: Representation of [2]rotaxane chloride binding modulated by photoisomerization of a stiff-stilbene. ...
Photoswitches beyond azobenzene: a beginner’s guide
- Michela Marcon,
- Christoph Haag and
- Burkhard König
Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1808–1853, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.143
- explain the important terminology and discuss the synthesis, switching mechanisms, and properties of seven interesting photoswitch classes, namely azoheteroarenes, diazocines, indigoid photoswitches, arylhydrazones, diarylethenes, fulgides, and spiropyrans. Keywords: photoswitches; photoswitch properties
- ; synthesis of photoswitches; switching mechanisms; tutorial review; Introduction Photophysical properties and switching mechanism Key learning points Switching mechanisms and the change in properties. Overview of the major classes of photoswitches beyond azobenzenes. Main synthetic pathways for their
Graphical Abstract
Figure 1: Energy diagram of a two-state photoswitch. Figure 1 was redrawn from [2].
Figure 2: Example of the absorption spectra of the isomers of a photoswitch with most efficient irradiation w...
Scheme 1: Photoswitch classes described in this review.
Figure 3: Azoheteroarenes.
Scheme 2: E–Z Isomerisation (top) and mechanisms of thermal Z–E isomerisation (bottom).
Scheme 3: Rotation mechanism favoured by the electron displacement in push–pull systems. Selected examples of...
Figure 4: A) T-shaped and twisted Z-isomers determine the thermal stability and the Z–E-PSS (selected example...
Figure 5: Effect of di-ortho-substitution on thermal half-life and PSS.
Figure 6: Selected thermal lifetimes of azoindoles in different solvents and concentrations. aConcentration o...
Figure 7: Aryliminopyrazoles: N-pyrazoles (top) and N-phenyl (bottom).
Scheme 4: Synthesis of symmetrical heteroarenes through oxidation (A), reduction (B), and the Bayer–Mills rea...
Scheme 5: Synthesis of diazonium salt (A); different strategies of azo-coupling: with a nucleophilic ring (B)...
Scheme 6: Synthesis of arylazothiazoles 25 (A) and heteroaryltriazoles 28 (B).
Scheme 7: Synthesis of heteroarylimines 31a,b [36-38].
Figure 8: Push–pull non-ionic azo dye developed by Velasco and co-workers [45].
Scheme 8: Azopyridine reported by Herges and co-workers [46].
Scheme 9: Photoinduced phase transitioning azobispyrazoles [47].
Figure 9: Diazocines.
Scheme 10: Isomers, conformers and enantiomers of diazocine.
Scheme 11: Partial overlap of the ππ* band with electron-donating substituents and effect on the PSS. Scheme 11 was ada...
Figure 10: Main properties of diazocines with different bridges. aMeasured in n-hexane [56]. bMeasured in THF. cMe...
Scheme 12: Synthesis of symmetric diazocines.
Scheme 13: Synthesis of asymmetric diazocines.
Scheme 14: Synthesis of O- and S-heterodiazocines.
Scheme 15: Synthesis of N-heterodiazocines.
Scheme 16: Puromycin diazocine photoswitch [60].
Figure 11: Indigoids.
Figure 12: The main representatives of the indigoid photoswitch class.
Scheme 17: Deactivation process that prevents Z-isomerisation of indigo.
Figure 13: Stable Z-indigo derivative synthesised by Wyman and Zenhäusern [67].
Figure 14: Selected examples of indigos with aliphatic and aromatic substituents [68]. Dashed box: proposed π–π in...
Scheme 18: Resonance structures of indigo and thioindigo involving the phenyl ring.
Scheme 19: Possible deactivation mechanism for 4,4'-dihydroxythioindigo [76].
Scheme 20: Effect of different heteroaryl rings on the stability and the photophysical properties of hemiindig...
Figure 15: Thermal half-lives of red-shifted hemithioindigos in toluene [79]. aMeasured in toluene-d8.
Scheme 21: Structures of pyrrole [81] and imidazole hemithioindigo [64].
Figure 16: Examples of fully substituted double bond hemithioindigo (left), oxidised hemithioindigos (centre),...
Scheme 22: Structure of iminothioindoxyl 72 (top) and acylated phenyliminoindolinone photoswitch 73 (bottom). ...
Scheme 23: (top) Transition states of iminothioindoxyl 72. The planar transition state is associated with a lo...
Scheme 24: Baeyer–Drewsen synthesis of indigo (top) and N-functionalisation strategies (bottom).
Scheme 25: Synthesis of hemiindigo.
Scheme 26: Synthesis of hemithioindigo and iminothioindoxyl.
Scheme 27: Synthesis of double-bond-substituted hemithioindigos.
Scheme 28: Synthesis of phenyliminoindolinone.
Scheme 29: Hemithioindigo molecular motor [85].
Figure 17: Arylhydrazones.
Scheme 30: Switching of arylhydrazones. Note: The definitions of stator and rotor are arbitrary.
Scheme 31: Photo- and acidochromism of pyridine-based phenylhydrazones.
Scheme 32: A) E–Z thermal inversion of a thermally stable push–pull hydrazone [109]. B) Rotation mechanism favoured...
Scheme 33: Effect of planarisation on the half-life.
Scheme 34: The longest thermally stable hydrazone switches reported so far (left). Modulation of thermal half-...
Figure 18: Dependency of t1/2 on concentration and hypothesised aggregation-induced isomerisation.
Figure 19: Structure–property relationship of acylhydrazones.
Scheme 35: Synthesis of arylhydrazones.
Scheme 36: Synthesis of acylhydrazones.
Scheme 37: Photoswitchable fluorophore by Aprahamian et al. [115].
Scheme 38: The four-state photoswitch synthesised by the Cigáň group [116].
Figure 20: Diarylethenes.
Scheme 39: Isomerisation and oxidation pathway of E-stilbene to phenanthrene.
Scheme 40: Strategies adapted to avoid E–Z isomerisation and oxidation.
Scheme 41: Molecular orbitals and mechanism of electrocyclisation for a 6π system.
Figure 21: Aromatic stabilisation energy correlated with the thermal stability of the diarylethenes [127,129].
Figure 22: Half-lives of diarylethenes with increasing electron-withdrawing groups [128,129].
Scheme 42: Photochemical degradation pathway promoted by electron-donating groups [130].
Figure 23: The diarylethenes studied by Hanazawa et al. [134]. Increased rigidity leads to bathochromic shift.
Scheme 43: The dithienylethene synthesised by Nakatani's group [135].
Scheme 44: Synthesis of perfluoroalkylated diarylethenes.
Scheme 45: Synthesis of 139 and 142 via McMurry coupling.
Scheme 46: Synthesis of symmetrical derivatives 145 via Suzuki–Miyaura coupling.
Scheme 47: Synthesis of acyclic 148, malonic anhydride 149, and maleimide derivatives 154.
Figure 24: Gramicidin S (top left) and two of the modified diarylethene derivatives: first generation (bottom ...
Scheme 48: Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate and its reaction with an amino acid (top). The analogous dithienylethene der...
Figure 25: Fulgides.
Scheme 49: The three isomers of fulgides.
Scheme 50: Thermal and photochemical side products of unsubstituted fulgide [150].
Figure 26: Maximum absorption λc of the closed isomer compared with the nature of the aromatic ring and the su...
Scheme 51: Possible rearrangement of the excited state of 5-dimethylaminoindolylfulgide [153].
Figure 27: Quantum yields of ring closure (ΦE→C) and E–Z isomerisation (ΦE→Z) correlated with the increasing s...
Scheme 52: Active (Eα) and inactive (Eβ) conformers (left) and the bicyclic sterically blocked fulgide 169 (ri...
Scheme 53: Quantum yield of ring-opening (ΦC→E) and E–Z isomerisation (ΦE→Z) for different substitution patter...
Scheme 54: Stobbe condensation pathway for the synthesis of fulgides 179, fulgimides 181 and fulgenates 178.
Scheme 55: Alternative synthesis of fulgides through Pd-catalysed carbonylation.
Scheme 56: Optimised synthesis of fulgimides [166].
Scheme 57: Photoswitchable FRET with a fulgimide photoswitch [167].
Scheme 58: Three-state fulgimide strategy by Slanina's group.
Figure 28: Spiropyrans.
Scheme 59: Photochemical (left) and thermal (right) ring-opening mechanisms for an exemplary spiropyran with a...
Figure 29: Eight possible isomers of the open merocyanine according to the E/Z configurations of the bonds hig...
Scheme 60: pH-Controlled photoisomerisation between the closed spiropyran 191-SP and the open E-merocyanine 19...
Scheme 61: Behaviour of spiropyran in water buffer according to Andréasson and co-workers [180]. 192-SP in an aqueo...
Scheme 62: (left box) Proposed mechanism of basic hydrolysis of MC [184]. (right box) Introduction of electron-dona...
Scheme 63: Photochemical interconversion of naphthopyran 194 (top) and spirooxazine 195 (bottom) photoswitches...
Scheme 64: Synthesis of spiropyrans and spirooxazines 198 and the dicondensation by-product 199.
Scheme 65: Alternative synthesis of spiropyrans and spirooxazines with indolenylium salt 200.
Scheme 66: Synthesis of 4’-substituted spiropyrans 203 by condensation of an acylated methylene indoline 201 w...
Scheme 67: Synthesis of spironaphthopyrans 210 by acid-catalysed condensation of naphthols and diarylpropargyl...
Scheme 68: Photoswitchable surface wettability [194].
Figure 30: Some guiding principles for the choice of the most suitable photoswitch. Note that this guide is ve...
