Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Triplet Sensitization Enables Bidirectional Isomerization Of Diazocine With 130 Nm Redshift In Excitation Wavelengths, Jussi Isokuortti, Thomas Griebenow, Jan-Simon Von Glasenapp, Tim Raeker, Timo Laaksonen, Rainer Herges, Nikita A. Durandin

Articles

Diazocines are bridged azobenzenes with phenyl rings connected by a CH2–CH2 group. Despite this rather small structural difference, diazocine exhibits improved properties over azobenzene as a photoswitch and most importantly, its Z configuration is more stable than the E isomer. Herein, we reveal yet another unique feature of this emerging class of photoswitches. In striking contrast to azobenzenes and other photochromes, diazocine can be selectively switched in E / Z direction and most intriguingly from its thermodynamically stable Z to metastable E isomer upon successive excitation of two different triplet sensitizers present in solution at the same time. This approach …