Issue 5, 2020

Efficient reversible photoisomerisation with large solvodynamic size-switching of a main chain poly(azobenzene-alt-trisiloxane)

Abstract

A photo-responsive linear poly(azobenzene) with an alternating sequence of azobenzene switching units connected by trisiloxane linkers was synthesised via step-growth polycondensation. By its design, the polymer features a high chromophore load (45 wt%) and a large number (≈130) of photoswitching units per chain. The ensuing photoisomerisation upon UV irradiation with 365 nm light was studied in several solvents and compared to the corresponding free azobenzene siloxane congener. Efficient EZ isomerisation with high conversion yields was observed for the polymeric and isolated azobenzenes alike. In the slightly polar solvents tetrahydrofuran (THF) and chloroform, this resulted in a photo-induced decrease in solvodynamic volume of 22% (THF) and 32% (chloroform). In n-hexane, however, a light-triggered collapse of the solvated polymer coil lead to a globular non-solvated form with a 70% decrease in volume. Ultrafast transient electronic absorption measurements showed that the underlying excited-state reaction pathways for the azobenzene units in the polymer main chain are essentially similar to those of the analogous single azobenzene in solution. The data suggest a sequential deactivation via ultrafast internal conversion from the initially excited S2 state to the S1 state, followed by intramolecular vibrational redistribution in the S1 state, and subsequent EZ isomerisation and deactivation to the electronic ground state. These processes are slowed down only moderately for the main chain azobenzene units compared to the free azobenzene in solution and conform to the accepted scenario for unsubstituted azobenzene. The results explain the efficient, nearly unconstrained isomerisation of the embedded molecular switching units that is highly unusual for a main chain azobenzene polymer. Due to the unique combination of a high chromophore load and large number of photo-switchable units in the main chain in a regular alternating architecture, coupled with a high conversion yield, the poly(azobenzene-alt-trisiloxane) should find applications as photo-responsive material, in particular when large switching amplitudes are essential.

Graphical abstract: Efficient reversible photoisomerisation with large solvodynamic size-switching of a main chain poly(azobenzene-alt-trisiloxane)

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
20 Sep 2019
Accepted
09 Dec 2019
First published
10 Dec 2019

J. Mater. Chem. C, 2020,8, 1835-1845

Efficient reversible photoisomerisation with large solvodynamic size-switching of a main chain poly(azobenzene-alt-trisiloxane)

M. Dowds, D. Bank, J. Strueben, D. P. Soto, F. D. Sönnichsen, F. Renth, F. Temps and A. Staubitz, J. Mater. Chem. C, 2020, 8, 1835 DOI: 10.1039/C9TC05193G

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements