Synthesis of a liquid crystalline azobenzene monomer for photoalignment of ferroelectric liquid crystals

A liquid crystalline dimethacrylate-based monomer containing an azobenzene group was synthesized. The miscibility of the azo monomer and its crosslinked polymer network with ferroelectric liquid crystals (FLCs) was improved by the liquid crystallinity of the monomer. By performing thermal polymerization of the azo monomer dissolved in a FLC host under linearly polarized visible light irradiation, following a pre-irradiation with unpolarized UV light at room temperature, bulk alignment of the FLC could be induced in the absence of surface orientation layers, as a result of the photo-orientation of azobenzene moieties related to the reversible trans-cis photoisomerization of the chromophore. The optical and rubbing-free alignment of a FLC could be achieved with as few as 0.5 wt % of the azo polymer network. This represents a step toward the preparation of uniform samples of photoaligned FLC by reducing the amount of the azo polymer network that may be phase-separated from the FLC host.     

偶氮共轭聚合物光电特性研究进展

芳香环或杂环通过NN双键连接形成的化合物如偶氮苯、偶氮吡咯等具有π共轭结构,此类分子有顺反两种构型,他们可以在光照条件下相互转换。分子构型转变会影响电子的共轭程度及其离域特性,因此含环结构的偶氮共轭分子具有光调制特性。反式偶氮苯分子为平面结构,顺式构型分子两个苯环有一定角度的扭转分子不在同一平面,实验和理论计算结果表明偶氮苯分子的键长、键角等受溶剂和取代基影响;光照可以实现偶氮苯分子的导电性改变,目前认为其导电性改变的原因主要是光致顺反异构而改变分子尺寸而引起。通过氮氮双键连接的杂环共轭分子能显著地降低分子的能隙,并使共轭化合物在更宽的波长范围内有强吸收,能提高太阳能光伏电池的转换效率,是理想的有机光伏材料。文章还对偶氮共轭聚合物的合成方法做了介绍,分析了含偶氮结构的共轭聚合物的光相应研究现状及其未来发展趋势。     

Fabrication of fluorescent holographic micropatterns based on the rare earth complexes using azobenzene‐containing poly(aryl ether)s as macromolecular ligands

In this work, on the basis of photoinduced surface relief gratings (SRGs) with the rare earth complexes using azo‐polymers as macromolecular ligands, a series of novel materials for fabricating rewritable fluorescent two‐dimensional micropatterns, whose color can be easily adjusted by changing the species of the rare earth ions, are demonstrated. The rare earth complexes are prepared using a series of poly(aryl ether)s containing azobenzene chromophores and carboxyl group as macromolecular ligands and 1,10‐phenanthroline as co‐ligands. The fluorescence properties of the rare earth complexes and the influence of the contents of azobenzene chromophores on the fluorescent intensity are investigated by means of fluorescence excitation and emission spectroscopy. By exposing the films of the rare earth complexes to an interference pattern laser beam, SRGs can be formed on the films. Under the excitation, fluorescent patterns of the SRGs can be observed by the measurement of fluorescence microscopy. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 936–943     

Syntheses and Properties of Donor/Acceptor Arylethynyl-Substituted 1, 6-Methano[10]annulenes

The stepwise palladium-catalyzed coupling of dibromo-1,6-methano[10]annulene derivatives to a phenyl-acetylene substituted by an electron-withdrawing group followed by coupling with a phenylacetylene possessing an electron-donating group allows the preparation of donor/acceptor systems which contain three aromatic moieties linked by ethynediyl bridges. The same type of cross-coupling starting from 2-ethynyl-1,6-methano[10]annulene and bromo-substituted azobenzene derivatives provides easy access to a new class of azo dyes. The properties of these compounds are compared to those of analogous compounds containing only benzene rings.     

Synthesis of azo-conjugated metalladithiolenes and their photo- and proton-responsive isomerization reactions

A versatile synthetic method of azo-conjugated metalladithiolenes was developed, and new complexes with various central metals and substituent groups were synthesized. Molecular structures of the azo-conjugated metalladithiolenes of Ni(II), Pd(II), and Pt(II) with diphenylphosphinoethane as a co-ligand were determined by X-ray crystallography. While the energy of the reversible trans-to-cis photoisomerization is considerably lower than that of azobenzene, the thermal stability of the cis form is much higher than that of the organic azobenzene derivatives showing similar low-energy trans-to-cis photoisomerization. A novel proton response of the azo group occurs, and the combination of photoisomerization and protonation leads to a novel proton-catalyzed cis-to-trans isomerization, the rate of which correlates with the redox potential of the metalladithiolene moiety. The study including other azo-conjugated metalladithiolenes has indicated that the protonation is a common feature for the azo-conjugated metalladithiolenes, but trans-to-cis photoisomerization is strongly dependent on the electronic structure of the trans form or a steric effect in the cis form.     

Photochromism of 2-(phenylazo)imidazoles

The isomerization behaviors of 2-(phenylazo)imidazole (Pai-H) and 1-N-methyl-2-(phenylazo)imidazole (Pai-Me) have been investigated. The crystal structure of trans-Pai-Me was determined, revealing that key structures around the azo group are nearly identical among azobenzene, Pai-H, and Pai-Me. Pai-Me undergoes reversible cis/trans photoisomerization, whereas Pai-H responds poorly to irradiation. The quantum yields of trans-to-cis isomerization of Pai-Me on 454 and 355 nm excitation are 0.35 +/- 0.03 and 0.25 +/- 0.03, respectively, in toluene. The wavelength-dependent isomerization quantum yield is well-known for azobenzene, but these values are substantially higher than those of azobenzene. The activation energy of thermal cis-to-trans isomerization of Pai-Me in toluene is 79.0 +/- 3.5 kJ mol(-1), which is lower than that of azobenzene by 15 kJ mol(-1). The thermal cis-to-trans isomerization of Pai-H is even faster. Density functional theory calculations were performed, revealing that the energy gaps between the azo n-orbital and the highest pi-orbital of azoimidazoles are much narrower than that of azobenzene. Finally, a preliminary study suggested that metal ions can modulate the absorption spectrum of Pai-Me without a loss of the gross photochromic behavior.     

Colour change and tautomerism of some azo-indicators on complex formation with cyclodextrins

Complex formation of methyl orange and some other azobenzene derivatives with cyclodextrins has been studied in acidic and alkaline solutions by a spectrophotometric method. A correlation has been established between the stability constants of the complexes, the spectral changes accompanying complex formation and a tautomeric equilibrium between protonation on the azo and dimethylamino group. Our own results have been compared with some literature data, and equilibrium constants for the tautomeric rearrangement have been calculated. It has been demonstrated that the significant colour changes observed with the protonated forms only (and not with the corresponding bases) is really caused by a shift of the tautomeric equilibrium.     

Synthesis of iron-containing polymers with azo dyes in the backbones or side chains

The synthesis of cationic cyclopentadienyliron-containing polymers with pendent azobenzene chromophores was accomplished via metal-mediated nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions. All of the desired polymers were isolated as vibrantly coloured materials and displayed excellent solubility in polar aprotic solvents. Cationic and neutral cyclopentadienyliron polymers incorporating azo dyes in the backbone were also prepared. Reactions of azo dyes with dichlorobenzene complexes allowed for the isolation of cationic cyclopentdienyliron (CpFe₊) complexes with azo dye chromophores. These complexes were then reacted with 1,1′-ferrocenedicarbonyl chloride to produce the trimetallic monomers with terminal chloro groups. These monomers contained two pendent CpFe₊ cations and a neutral iron moiety in the backbone. Nucleophilic substitution reactions of these monomers with oxygen and sulfur containing dinucleophiles gave rise to a new class of polymeric materials. The pendent CpFe₊ moieties could also be cleaved from the polymer backbones using photolysis to afford novel ferrocene based polymers. The UV-vis spectra of the organoiron monomers and polymers display similar wavelength maxima however incorporating azobenzene chromophores with electron-withdrawing substituent into the polymer chains resulted in bathochromic shifts of the λ_max values.     

Improvement of LPS-based command surfaces: effect of inserting a flexible disiloxane segment into the azo side chain on photo-driven response

A new synthetic route for azo grafted ladder-like polysilsesquioxanes (LPS) used for fabricating command surfaces has been developed. In comparison with previous work, the grafting ratio of azobenzene on the LPS backbone could be controlled more accurately and the low molar mass impurity, which might influence the concerted action of the azobenzene units as command moieties on the surrounding LC molecules, could be readily removed by repeated precipitation. The results of our measurements indicate that inserting a flexible disiloxane segment into the spacer of the side group can improve the photo-driven response. The response steepness of a LC cell is 20 times that of our previous result. However, the response speed also depends on the spacer length and the content of azo side groups. Using azo grafted LPS with a shorter spacer as the material for the command surface, the response speed is faster than with a longer spacer. Optimum response can be achieved at an azo content of 10 mol %.     

Improvement of LPS-based command surfaces: effect of inserting a flexible disiloxane segment into the azo side chain on photo-driven response

A new synthetic route for azo grafted ladder-like polysilsesquioxanes (LPS) used for fabricating command surfaces has been developed. In comparison with previous work, the grafting ratio of azobenzene on the LPS backbone could be controlled more accurately and the low molar mass impurity, which might influence the concerted action of the azobenzene units as command moieties on the surrounding LC molecules, could be readily removed by repeated precipitation. The results of our measurements indicate that inserting a flexible disiloxane segment into the spacer of the side group can improve the photo-driven response. The response steepness of a LC cell is 20 times that of our previous result. However, the response speed also depends on the spacer length and the content of azo side groups. Using azo grafted LPS with a shorter spacer as the material for the command surface, the response speed is faster than with a longer spacer. Optimum response can be achieved at an azo content of 10 mol %.     

端基对侧链型偶氮聚电解质自组装膜内生色团取向的影响

用偏振紫外光谱研究了 4种带有不同端基的侧链型偶氮聚电解质静电逐层自组装膜中偶氮生色团的初始取向 .讨论了不同的端基对偶氮生色团在自组装膜中初始取向的影响 .进一步探讨了偶氮聚电解质自组装膜的结构特点 .研究表明 ,侧链型偶氮聚电解质自组装膜中偶氮生色团普遍存在一定程度的沿面取向 .偶氮生色团所带端基的类型对其在自组装膜中的取向程度有较大的影响 ,这主要取决于偶氮生色团与聚阳离子基底的电荷相互作用和极性相互作用等 .对偶氮生色团在水溶液中能形成H 聚集体的自组装膜来说 ,H 聚集体对生色团取向也有一定的影响 .结果表明 ,在制备需控制生色团取向性的自组装膜时 ,要考虑生色团上的不同端基对取向的影响     

A SIMPLE,EFFICIENT AND NEW METHOD FOR PREPARING AZO UREAS

Azo compounds are widely utilized as dyes and analytical reagents.They can also be used as materials for non-linear optics and for storage optical information in laser dish^[1]. Recently, many noteworthy studies have shown that azobenzene derivatives possess excellent optical memory and photoelectric properties^[2]. The preparation of ordinary azo compounds has been described in many references. However, those compounds generally bear alkyl or aryl groups on both sides of the azo linkage (-N=N-).     

Reprocessable Photodeformable Azobenzene Polymers

Photodeformable azobenzene (azo) polymers are a class of smart polymers that can efficiently convert light energy into mechanical power, holding great promise in various photoactuating applications. They are typically of crosslinked polymer networks with highly oriented azo mesogens embedded inside. Upon exposure to the light of appropriate wavelength, they experience dramatic order parameter change following the configuration change of the azo units. This could result in the generation and accumulation of the gradient microscopic photomechanical force in the crosslinked polymer networks, thus leading to their macroscopic deformation. So far, a great number of photodeformable azo polymers have been developed, including some unoriented ones showing photodeformation based on different mechanisms. Among them, photodeformable azo polymers with dynamic crosslinking networks (and some uncrosslinked ones) have aroused particular interest recently because of their obvious advantages over those with stable chemical crosslinking structures such as high recyclability and reprocessability. In this paper, I provide a detailed overview of the recent progress in such reprocessable photodeformable polymers. In addition, some challenges and perspectives are also presented.     

重氮偶合反应合成超支化偶氮聚合物的光响应性能研究

利用重氮偶合反应和后重氮偶合反应制备了主链和端基含有不同假芪型偶氮苯生色团的超支化偶氮聚合物.利用氢核磁共振、紫外光谱、红外光谱等分析手段确定了合成聚合物的结构、玻璃化转变温度和光谱特性等.研究了聚合物光致二向色性的性能,此聚合物的取向有序度为0.063.用两束相干的P偏振Ar+激光对聚合物膜进行光加工,得到形状规则的正弦波形表面起伏光栅,末端偶氮苯基团的引入极大地增加了超支化偶氮聚合物的光响应速度.     

Synthesis and liquid crystalline behaviour of substituted (E)-phenyl-4-(phenyldiazenyl) benzoate derivatives and their photo switching ability

Azobenzene derivatives containing phenyl/4-halogen-phenyl 4-{(E)-[4-(pent-4-en-1-yloxy)phenyl]diazenyl}benzoate group with different electronegative substituent (H, F, Cl, Br and I) at other end was synthesised. These azo-based benzoate derivatives have been characterised by FTIR, ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, elemental analyser, POM and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Photosaturation at 358 nm obtained after 82 s of UV irradiation and the longest thermal back relaxation time of 45 h recorded by UV-Vis. The azo derivative could be possible photolock under UV light, as observed by the improved thermal back relaxation time. The resulting photolockable chain of azobenzene might prove valuable in the development of optical device application. These azobenzene moieties also exhibit liquid crystalline behaviour with respect to the halogen substitution as an electron withdrawing group shows that strong structure property relationship exists among them.     

含不同基团偶氮苯化合物的合成及其光致异构化性质

以苯胺或对硝基苯胺为起始原料,通过重氮偶合法合成了4种分别含有硝基、氨基和不同数目偶氮基的偶氮苯化合物(1~4),其结构经¹H NMR和FT-IR确证。研究了1~4在紫外灯(12 W)照射下随时间变化的UV-Vis谱图。结果表明：含有给电子基团(NH₂)偶氮苯的光致异构化速率较含有吸电子基团（NO₂）时更快,NO₂对分子的异构化有一定抑制作用;分子中偶氮基的数目增加时,顺反异构化过程也受到影响。     

A DFT study on photoinduced surface catalytic coupling reactions on nanostructured silver: selective formation of azobenzene derivatives from para-substituted nitrobenzene and aniline

We propose that aromatic nitro and amine compounds undergo photochemical reductive and oxidative coupling, respectively, to specifically produce azobenzene derivatives which exhibit characteristic Raman signals related to the azo group. A photoinduced charge transfer model is presented to explain the transformations observed in para-substituted ArNO(2) and ArNH(2) on nanostructured silver due to the surface plasmon resonance effect. Theoretical calculations show that the initial reaction takes place through excitation of an electron from the filled level of silver to the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of an adsorbed ArNO(2) molecule, and from the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of an adsorbed ArNH(2) molecule to the unoccupied level of silver, during irradiation with visible light. The para-substituted ArNO(2)(-)˙ and ArNH(2)(+)˙ surface species react further to produce the azobenzene derivatives. Our results may provide a new strategy for the syntheses of aromatic azo dyes from aromatic nitro and amine compounds based on the use of nanostructured silver as a catalyst.     

Photoluminescent behavior of poly(3‐hexylthiophene) derivatives with a high azobenzene content in the side chains

A series of polythiophene derivatives with substantially higher azobenzene contents in the side chains were prepared via copolymerization of 3‐hexylthiophene with four different types of 4‐((4‐(phenyl)azo)phenoxy)alkyl‐3‐thienylacetate. The alkyl spacers with different lengths, i.e. butyl, hexyl, octyl and undecyl groups were used between the azobenzene group and the thiophene ring. The compositions, structures and thermal properties of these polythiophene derivatives were characterized. The structural dependence of photoluminescent emission, photochromic behavior of these copolymers were systematically studied and compared with poly(3‐hexylthiophene). The results show that the azobenzene substitution renders the polythiophene some interesting optical properties that can be modulated by UV light irradiation. In the azobenzene modified polythiophene, the intensity of photoluminescent emission associated with the conjugated polythiophene main chain was found to decrease significantly upon UV irradiation. The finding suggests that the photo‐induced trans‐cis isomerization of the azobenzene pendant groups has a significant effect on photoluminescent emission, particularly when short spacers are used between azobenzene groups and the main chain. However, the effect becomes less prominent when longer spacers are used between the azobenzene group and the main chain. Furthermore, UV irradiation of the copolymers also resulted in an increase in intensity and broadening of bandwidth for the absorption peak associated with the polythiophene backbones. Again the magnitude of intensity changes upon UV irradiation were found to be dependent on the spacer length between the azobenzene group and polythiophene main chain. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of non-planarity on the spin distribution in the radical anions containing the stilbene or the azobenzene π-system: An ESR and ENDOR Study

The radical anions of 5H-dibenzo[a,d]cycloheptene ( 9 ), 5 H-dibenzo[c,f][1,2]diazepine ( 10 ), 5,6-dihydrodibenzo[a,e]cyclooctene ( 11 ), 5,6-dihydrodibenzo[c,g][1,2]diazocine ( 12 ), and (E)-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-3,4-diphenylhex-3-ene ( 13 ) were characterized by ESR and ENDOR spectroscopy. Their hyperfine data were compared with those previously reported for radical anions also containing the stilbene or the azobenzene π-system. Whereas the π-spin distribution in the radical anions of the stilbene series is only moderately sensitive to deviations of the π-system from planarity, the radical anions of the azobenzene series respond to steric strain by shifting the π-spin population from the benzene rings to the azo group. This finding is impressively demonstrated by the similar hyperfine data for 9 ^{· ?} and 11 ^{· ?} which contrast with the strongly highly hindered 13 ^{· ?}. A. plausible interpretation is readily provided by the electron affinities of the constituent π-moieties in stilbene and azobenzene. While those of benzene and ethene are both comparatively low, the azo group has a considerably higher electron affinity.