---
_id: '13376'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: Efficient molecular switching in confined spaces is critical for the successful
    development of artificial molecular machines. However, molecular switching events
    often entail large structural changes and therefore require conformational freedom,
    which is typically limited under confinement conditions. Here, we investigated
    the behavior of azobenzene—the key building block of light-controlled molecular
    machines—in a confined environment that is flexible and can adapt its shape to
    that of the bound guest. To this end, we encapsulated several structurally diverse
    azobenzenes within the cavity of a flexible, water-soluble coordination cage,
    and investigated their light-responsive behavior. Using UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy
    and a combination of NMR methods, we showed that each of the encapsulated azobenzenes
    exhibited distinct switching properties. An azobenzene forming a 1:1 host–guest
    inclusion complex could be efficiently photoisomerized in a reversible fashion.
    In contrast, successful switching in inclusion complexes incorporating two azobenzene
    guests was dependent on the availability of free cages in the system, and it involved
    reversible trafficking of azobenzene between the cages. In the absence of extra
    cages, photoswitching was either suppressed or it involved expulsion of azobenzene
    from the cage and consequently its precipitation from the solution. This finding
    was utilized to develop an information storage medium in which messages could
    be written and erased in a reversible fashion using light.
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Dipak
  full_name: Samanta, Dipak
  last_name: Samanta
- first_name: Julius
  full_name: Gemen, Julius
  last_name: Gemen
- first_name: Zonglin
  full_name: Chu, Zonglin
  last_name: Chu
- first_name: Yael
  full_name: Diskin-Posner, Yael
  last_name: Diskin-Posner
- first_name: Linda J. W.
  full_name: Shimon, Linda J. W.
  last_name: Shimon
- first_name: Rafal
  full_name: Klajn, Rafal
  id: 8e84690e-1e48-11ed-a02b-a1e6fb8bb53b
  last_name: Klajn
citation:
  ama: Samanta D, Gemen J, Chu Z, Diskin-Posner Y, Shimon LJW, Klajn R. Reversible
    photoswitching of encapsulated azobenzenes in water. <i>Proceedings of the National
    Academy of Sciences</i>. 2018;115(38):9379-9384. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1712787115">10.1073/pnas.1712787115</a>
  apa: Samanta, D., Gemen, J., Chu, Z., Diskin-Posner, Y., Shimon, L. J. W., &#38;
    Klajn, R. (2018). Reversible photoswitching of encapsulated azobenzenes in water.
    <i>Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</i>. Proceedings of the National
    Academy of Sciences. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1712787115">https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1712787115</a>
  chicago: Samanta, Dipak, Julius Gemen, Zonglin Chu, Yael Diskin-Posner, Linda J.
    W. Shimon, and Rafal Klajn. “Reversible Photoswitching of Encapsulated Azobenzenes
    in Water.” <i>Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</i>. Proceedings
    of the National Academy of Sciences, 2018. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1712787115">https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1712787115</a>.
  ieee: D. Samanta, J. Gemen, Z. Chu, Y. Diskin-Posner, L. J. W. Shimon, and R. Klajn,
    “Reversible photoswitching of encapsulated azobenzenes in water,” <i>Proceedings
    of the National Academy of Sciences</i>, vol. 115, no. 38. Proceedings of the
    National Academy of Sciences, pp. 9379–9384, 2018.
  ista: Samanta D, Gemen J, Chu Z, Diskin-Posner Y, Shimon LJW, Klajn R. 2018. Reversible
    photoswitching of encapsulated azobenzenes in water. Proceedings of the National
    Academy of Sciences. 115(38), 9379–9384.
  mla: Samanta, Dipak, et al. “Reversible Photoswitching of Encapsulated Azobenzenes
    in Water.” <i>Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</i>, vol. 115, no.
    38, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2018, pp. 9379–84, doi:<a
    href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1712787115">10.1073/pnas.1712787115</a>.
  short: D. Samanta, J. Gemen, Z. Chu, Y. Diskin-Posner, L.J.W. Shimon, R. Klajn,
    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 115 (2018) 9379–9384.
date_created: 2023-08-01T09:40:00Z
date_published: 2018-05-01T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2024-10-14T12:14:53Z
day: '01'
doi: 10.1073/pnas.1712787115
extern: '1'
external_id:
  pmid:
  - '29717041'
intvolume: '       115'
issue: '38'
keyword:
- Multidisciplinary
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
  url: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1712787115
month: '05'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
page: 9379-9384
pmid: 1
publication: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
publication_identifier:
  eissn:
  - 1091-6490
  issn:
  - 0027-8424
publication_status: published
publisher: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: Reversible photoswitching of encapsulated azobenzenes in water
type: journal_article
user_id: 2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
volume: 115
year: '2018'
...