Conjugated microporous polymers promote photoswitching in the solid-state

Abstract

Photoswitches are attractive for various applications due to the fast, efficient, and reversible isomerization under controlling of light and heat. However, it’s difficult to achieve reliable photoisomerization in the solid state because of the strong intermolecular aggregation, which is originated from the planar molecular structure and conjugated nature of photoswitches. Improving molecular distribution is a general and important method for promoting the isomerization properties in the solid state. This review presents recent progress for fabricating solid state photoresponsive materials based on the periodically distributed nanoporous structure of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Photoswitches including azobenzene, spiropyran, diarylethene, and donor-acceptor Stenhouse adduct have been reported to be integrated into the nanopores of MOFs as part of a backbone, linker, and guest. The potential to control photoisomerization by varying the physicochemical environment in the nanopores of MOFs was discussed.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Photoswitch
• metal-organic frameworks
• photoisomerization
• molecular distribution
• microenvironment

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52203134, 62375041, 52203134 and 22375029) and Foundation of Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province (2023ZYD0037).