Chiroptical molecular switches

Abstract

The control of chirality by optical molecular switches offers intriguing prospects in the design of new materials. For example, photochemically induced stilbene‐type cis‐trans isomerization of 1 (see Figure) results simultaneously in reversal of the helicity. The molecular design of switching units, the possibility of highly stereoselective optical molecular switching, and an approach to a gated response are described. magnified image