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Updated: Oct 16, 2025

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Published on: April 28, 2023
Guest-Driven Light-Induced Spin Change in an Azobenzene Loaded Metal-Organic Framework
Kai-Ping Xie1, Ze-Yu Ruan1, Bang-Heng Lyu1
1Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, P. R. China.
Abstract:
Stimuli-responsive materials that can be reversibly switched by light are of immense interest. Among them, photo-responsive spin crossover (SCO) complexes have great promises to combine the photoactive inputs with multifaceted outputs into switchable materials and devices. However, the reversible control the spin-state change by photochromic guests is still challenging. Herein, we report an unprecedented guest-driven light-induced spin change (GD-LISC) in a Hofmann-type metal-organic framework (MOF), [Fe(bpn){Ag(CN)2 }2 ]⋅azobenzene. (1, bpn=1,4-bis(4-pyridyl)naphthalene). The reversible trans-cis photoisomerization of azobenzene guest upon UV/Vis irradiation in the solid-state results in the remarkable magnetic changes in a wide temperature range of 10-180 K. This finding not only establishes a new switching mechanism for SCO complexes, but also paves the way toward the development of new generation of photo-responsive magnetic materials.
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