Expanding dendrons. The photoisomerism of folded azobenzene dendrons.
Irradiation of a folded azobenzene dendron system triggers a large, reversible structural expansion. The dendrons adopt a compact helical conformation in the stable E form owing to the E geometry of azo linkage and the syn-syn preference of the dendritic branch points. E --> Z photoisomerization disrupts this folded conformation in a manner that decreases the packing efficiency and results in an expansion in hydrodynamic volume.
Gabriel
Christopher J
CJ
Department of Chemistry, The Ohio State University, 100 West 18th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.
Parquette
Jon R
JR