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Updated: Nov 16, 2025

Determination of the Photoisomerization Quantum Yield of a Hydrazone Photoswitch
Published on: February 7, 2022
Photoswitching of Diazocines in Aqueous Media
Pascal Lentes1, Philipp Frühwirt2, Hilde Freißmuth2
1Otto Diels-Institute of Organic Chemistry, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Otto Hahn Platz 4, 24118 Kiel, Germany.
Abstract:
We present a systematic investigation of the photophysical properties of diazocines in aqueous media. The Z-E photoconversion yields of CH2CH2- and CH2S-bridged diazocines decrease with increasing water content in acetonitrile. However, there is one exception. A CH2-NAc-bridged diazocine mostly retains its photostationary state in water (85 to 72%) because of the high quantum yields for the Z → E conversion. Moreover, it is water-soluble without further substitution and is therefore ideally suited as a photoswitch in biological (aqueous) environments.
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