Visible‐Light‐Responsive Self‐Assembled Complexes: Improved Photoswitching Properties by Metal Ion Coordination**

Abstract

Abstract A photoswitchable ligand based on azobenzene is self‐assembled with palladium(II) ions to form a [Pd 2 ( E ‐ L ) 4 ] 4+ cage. Irradiation with 470 nm light results in the near‐quantitative switching to a monomeric species [Pd( Z ‐ L ) 2 ] 2+ , which can be reversed by irradiation with 405 nm light, or heat. The photoswitching selectivity towards the metastable isomer is significantly improved upon self‐assembly, and the thermal half‐life is extended from 40 days to 850 days, a promising approach for tuning photoswitching properties.