Azobenzene-Functionalized Cascade Molecules: Photoswitchable Supramolecular Systems

Abstract

Potential holographic materials are obtained from the azobenzene-functionalized dendrimers described herein (shown schematically on the right). Even in the largest species presented, which contains up to 32 azobenzene chromophores, each chromophoric unit behaves independently compared to “monomer” model compounds. Diffraction efficiencies larger than 20 % were achieved with holographic films of the azobenzene dendrimers – the second-generation dendrimer exhibits good thermal stability.