Multiple control of azoquinoline based molecular photoswitches

Multi-addressable molecular switches with high sophistication are creating intensive interest, but are challenging to control. Herein, we incorporated ring-chain dynamic covalent sites into azoquinoline scaffolds for the construction of multi-responsive and multi-state switching systems. The manipulation of ring-chain equilibrium by acid/base and dynamic covalent reactions with primary/secondary amines allowed the regulation of E/Z photoisomerization. Moreover, the carboxyl and quinoline motifs provided recognition handles for the chelation of metal ions and turning off photoswitching, with otherwise inaccessible Z-isomer complexes obtained via the change of stimulation sequence. Particularly, the distinct metal binding behaviors of primary amine and secondary amine products offered a facile way for modulating E/Z switching and dynamic covalent reactivity. As a result, multiple control of azoarene photoswitches was accomplished, including light, pH, metal ions, and amine nucleophiles, with interplay between diverse stimuli further enabling addressable multi-state switching within reaction networks. The underlying structural and mechanistic insights were elucidated, paving the way for the creation of complex switching systems, molecular assemblies, and intelligent materials.

The photoinduced isomerization mechanism of the 2-(1-(methylimino)methyl)-6-chlorophenol (SMAC): Nonadiabatic surface hopping dynamics simulations

The photophysical properties of the Schiff base family are crucial for their applications such as molecular switches and molecular memories. However, it was found that the photophysical behavior is not uniform for all Schiff base molecules, which shows a significant substituent dependent property. In this article, we studied the photoisomerization mechanism of one Schiff base chlorosubstituted derivative 2-(1-(methylimino)methyl)-6-chlorophenol by employing geometrical optimization, energy profiles scanning, and on-the-fly dynamical simulations. Three types of minimum energy conical intersections were located on the S₁/S₀ crossing seam, with two characterized by twisting motion of the C=N bond and one featured with the excited state intramolecular proton transfer process and then twisting motion around the C=C bond [excited-state intramolecular proton transfer process (ESIPT)-then-twisting]. By a combination of the dynamics simulation results with the energy profiles scanned along with the ESIPT coordinate, it was found that the photophysical property of the targeted molecule is different from that of most Schiff base members, which prefer to decay by a twisting motion around the C=N bridge bond rather than the ESIPT-then-twisting channel. The minor ESIPT channel is probably governed by a tunneling mechanism. The proposed deactivation mechanism can provide a reasonable explanation for the observations in the experiment and would provide fundamental indications for further design of new and efficient photochromic products.

Properties and applications of designable and photo/redox dual responsive surfactants with the new head group 2-arylazo-imidazolium

2-Arylazo-imidazolium grafted imidazolium surfactants with structural extensibility and reversible responsiveness to photo and electrochemical stimuli for further usage in a sol–gel process.

Non-adiabatic dynamics simulation exploration of the wavelength-dependent photoinduced relaxation mechanism of trans-N-1-methyl-2-(tolylazo) imidazole in the gas phase

A comprehensive picture of the photoinduced non-adiabatic relaxation dynamics of trans-N-1-methyl-2-(tolylazo) imidazole (trans-MTAI) in different electronic excited states has been revealed using the on-the-fly surface hopping method at the ab initio CASSCF level.

The structure and photophysics of di-iodo-zinc(II) complexes of long alkyl chain substituted imidazolyl motif of arylazoimidazoles and the DFT computation

Distorted tetrahedral structure of [Zn(Haai-C10H21)2I2] (Haai-C10H21, 1-decayl-2-(arylazo)imidazole) has been supported by single crystal X-ray diffraction study. The structures of other complexes, [Zn(Raai-CnH2n+1)2I2] (n=10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22) have been determined by spectroscopic data (FT-IR, UV-vis, (1)H NMR). The complexes show light induced photoisomerisation, E-to-Z (trans-to-cis) of coordinated, Raai-CnH2n+1. The Z-to-E (cis-to-trans) isomerisation is also carried out by thermal activation route. The quantum yields of the E→Z progression (ϕE→Z) of the complexes are less than that of free ligand, which could be due to increase in molar mass and molar volume of the complexes than that of free ligands. The activation energy (Ea) of Z→E isomerisation of the complexes is is less than that of free ligands. This observation is also consistent with femtosecond transient absorption results which suggests that the E(trans)→Z(cis) isomerization occurs through the motion of pendant NNAr of the molecule. The temporal profiles of free ligand shows three decay processes corresponds to 0.24ps (S2 state) and subsequent decay, 0.85ps of the S1 state and finally 5ps to the hot ground state at 500nm. The complexes also show three decay periods approximately at 0.25ps, 1.3ps and 13ps. The spectral property and photochromic efficiency have been explained by DFT computation of optimized geometry of the complexes.

The spectroscopic characterization, photochromism of cadmium(II)-iodo complexes of 1-alkyl-2-(arylazo)imidazoles and DFT computation of representative complexes

[Cd(Raai-C(n)H(2n+1))(μ-I)I]2 and [Cd(Raai-C(n)H(2n+1))2I2] are synthesized by the reaction of CdI2 with 1-alkyl-2-(arylazo)imidazole (Raai-C(n)H(2n+1), n=4, 6, 8) in MeOH in 1:1 and 1:2 M ratio of salt and ligands, respectively. The complexes have been characterized by spectral data (UV-Vis, IR, (1)H NMR, Mass). The coordinated Raai-C(n)H(2n+1) shows photochromism, E(trans)-to-Z(cis) isomerisation, upon UV light irradiation. The reverse process, Z-to-E, is very slow in visible light irradiation process while the reaction is sensitive to change of reaction temperature. The quantum yields (ϕE→Z) for E-to-Z and the activation energy (Ea) of Z-to-E isomerisation are calculated and found that the complexes show subordinate results compared to free ligand. DFT computations of two representative complexes were carried out to explain the spectral and photochromic phenomena.