Molecular Photoswitches: Chemistry, Properties, and Applications

A comprehensive overview about the emerging field of photoswitches and their applications in materials science and biology

Molecular  Photoswitches guides the reader through the basic molecular structures  of photochromic compounds and their applications in the area of  photoresponsive materials as well as in the biological context. The  initial chapters describe individual classes of molecular photoswitches,  introducing their principles of photochromism, typical switching  wavelengths, thermal stability of photoisomers and other key  information, which is ordinarily spread in the literature. These classes  comprise i.a. azobenzenes, diazocines, arylazoheterocycles,  arylhydrazones, indigoids, photochromic imines, or acylhydrazones. The  book also covers:
Catalysis with molecular switchesApplications in  photochromic porous materials, liquid crystals, or  nanoparticles Light-responsive molecular machines, logic devices, and  molecular magnetsPhotomodulation of biological systems: photoswitchable  biopolymers, lightmodulated antibiotics, cytotoxins, ion channel  inhibitors, light-propelled artificial muscles, and computationally  designed photochromic proteins

This two-volume work is a  valuable guide for researchers and non-experts working in the field of  photochemistry, organic chemistry, catalysis, materials science,  biology, and medicine.