Chemistry Commons^™

Robust Visible Light Photoswitching With Ortho-Thiol Substituted Azobenzenes, Subhas Samanta, Theresa M. Mccormick, Simone K. Schmidt, Dwight S. Seferos, G. Andrew Woolley

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction of S-ethyl groups in all four ortho positions of azobenzene prevents reduction of the azo group by intracellular glutathione, while enhancing the absorptivity to ∼10000 M⁻¹ cm⁻¹ in the blue and green regions of the visible spectrum. cis-to-trans isomerization occurs thermally on the minutes timescale. Further, this substitution pattern permits switching with red light, a color that is more penetrating through biological tissues than other parts of the visible spectrum.