PHOTO-INDUCED PHENOMENA IN SUPRAMOLECULAR AZOBENZENE MATERIALS

PHOTO-INDUCED PHENOMENA IN SUPRAMOLECULAR AZOBENZENE MATERIALS 

Joachim Stumpe, Olga Kulikovska, Leonid M. Goldenberg, 

Most azobenzene derivatives can be isomerized reversibly between the E and Z isomeric forms by light or heat. Some derivatives may show phototautomerism, photodimerization, photoreduction, and fading. The effects discussed in this chapter are based on E-Z photoisomerization of aromatic azobenzenes (Rau, 1990) also known in the literature as transits photoisomerization. 

Photoisomerization reaction of azobenzene allows the reversible change of molecular properties such as absorbance, dipole moment, polarity, geometric shape, and others. These molecular changes may be used to control macroscopic properties of materials. For example, the change of the geometric form of 

Smart Light Responsive Materials. Edited by Yue Zhao and Tomiki Ikeda Copyright 2009 John Wiley Sons, Inc. 

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