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Updated: Sep 21, 2025

Determination of the Photoisomerization Quantum Yield of a Hydrazone Photoswitch
Published on: February 7, 2022
100th Anniversary of Macromolecular Science Viewpoint: Photochemical Reaction Orthogonality in Modern Macromolecular
Nathaniel Corrigan1, Cyrille Boyer1
1Centre for Advanced Macromolecular Design (CAMD) and Australian Centre for NanoMedicine (ACN), School of Chemical Engineering, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
Abstract:
The ability to perform multiple chemical reactions independently (orthogonally) in a single reaction vessel can allow simplified reaction protocols for intricate chemical syntheses. Light is an especially advantageous external stimuli to enact such orthogonal chemical reactions due to its independence with other stimuli, instantaneous spatiotemporal control, and material penetrability. The potential to combine orthogonal chemistry and polymerization is also very appealing, as these systems may open the door for polymeric materials to find applications in emerging and high-tech fields, including biotechnology, microelectronics, sensors, energy, and others. We highlight the use of light in orthogonal polymerization protocols, particularly for living and controlled polymerization, and explore potential future directions and challenges for this technology.
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