A calixarene-capped azobenzene (CCA) is comprised of two calix[4]arene hemispheres joined by an azo linker. The convergent calixarene units in the cis configuration of CCA are designed to capture cationic guest species. The photoisomerization of the azo linker allows CCA to be switched between "open" and "closed" forms. In this investigation, a CCA with a shortened linker relative to earlier analogues undergoes a clean trans→cis isomerization upon UV irradiation and slowly reverts to the trans configuration in the dark. This isomerization has been observed by UV-visible and 1H NMR. The kinetics of the thermal cis→trans reaction in different solvents and at different temperatures is under investigation, as is the supramolecular chemistry of this switchable system.

Trans/cis photoisomerization and kinetics of a calixarene-capped azobenzene

2019 Spring National Meeting

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