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Updated: Aug 26, 2025

Novel Techniques for Observing Structural Dynamics of Photoresponsive Liquid Crystals
Published on: May 29, 2018
Photomechanical effect in Zn(II) and Cd(II) 1D coordination polymers: photosalient to non-salient behaviour
Samim Khan1, Sanobar Naaz1, Akansha Ekka2
1Department of Chemistry, Aliah University, New Town, Kolkata 700 156, India. chmmir@gmail.com.
Abstract:
A Zn(II) based one-dimensional (1D) coordination polymer (CP), [Zn(cis-1,4-chdc)(4-nvp)] (1) {cis-1,4-H2chdc = cis-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid and 4-nvp = 4-(1-naphthylvinyl)pyridine}, undergoes a solid-state photochemical [2+2] cycloaddition reaction, accompanied by mechanical motion, wherein crystals show swelling, jumping, splitting and bursting upon UV irradiation, whereas the analogous Cd(II) CP [Cd(cis-1,4-chdc)(4-nvp)] (2) does not show any such response under UV light, although it undergoes [2+2] photodimerization. The present study can certainly provide the fundamental understanding for designing smart photoactuating materials.
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