Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol.141, No.16, 6468-6472, 2019
Azobenzene-Bridged Expanded "Texas-sized" Box: A Dual Responsive Receptor for Aryl Dianion Encapsulation
We report an expanded "Texas-sized" molecular box (AzoTxSB) that incorporates photo responsive azobenzene bridging subunits and anion recognition motifs. The shape of this box can be switched through light induced E <-> Z photoisomerization of the constituent azobenzenes. This allows various anionic substrates to be bound and released by using different forms of the box. Control can also be achieved using other environmental stimuli, such as pH and anion competition.