title: Optical switching of self-assembly and disassembly of noncovalently connected amphiphiles.
abstract: A hydrophobic compound, which we name 3C18-Azo, containing an azo head and three 18 C alkyl chains has the capacity to form an amphiphile by capping it with a cyclodextrin (CD) by inclusion complexation. The amphiphilic compound self-assembles into vesicles in water. Optical switching of the assembly and disassembly is realized by alternating visible and UV irradiation, which causes the isomerization of the azo groups, thus affecting their complexation with the CDs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200433, China.
authors.forename: Jiong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Fenggang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D002942:Circular Dichroism; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000737:chemistry*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
chemical_list: D006838:Hydrocarbons