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Updated: Jul 22, 2025

Author Spotlight: Functionalizing Metal-Organic Frameworks: Advancements, Challenges, and the Power of Post-Synthetic Ligand Exchange
Published on: June 23, 2023
Photoswitchable Azoheteroarene-Based Chelating Ligands: Light Modulation of Properties, Aqueous Solubility and
Debapriya Gupta1, Ankit Kumar Gaur1, Ramanpreet Kaur1
1Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali Sector 81, SAS Nagar, Knowledge City, Manauli, 140 306, India.
Abstract:
We report the design and synthesis of eight photoswitchable phenylazopyridine- and phenylazopyrazole-based molecular systems as chelation-type light-controllable ligands. Besides the studies on fundamental photoisomerization behaviour, the ligands were also screened for light-tuneable properties such as photochromism, phase transition, and solubility, especially in the aqueous medium. This investigation demonstrates how the modulation of aqueous solubility can be achieved through photoisomerization and can further be utilized towards controlling the amount of catalytically active Cu(I) species in the aqueous conditions. Through this approach, light control over the catalytic activity was achieved for Cu-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reactions, along with a partial recovery of the catalytically active species.
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