Photoisomerisation and light-induced morphological switching of a polyoxometalate–azobenzene hybrid

Abstract

The functionalization of a spherical Keplerate-type polyoxometalate {Mo₇₂V₃₀} with a cationic azobenzene surfactant has been achieved through ionic self-assembly. The photoisomerisation reaction of this complex, which emerges in a light-triggered aggregation–disaggregation process, has been followed by ¹H NMR spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, absorption spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy analyses.