Transient Photoactivation of Anionophores by Using Redshifted Fast-Relaxing Azobenzenes

Photo-regulated transmembrane ionophores enable spatial and temporal control over activity, offering promise as targeted therapeutics. Key to such applications is control using bio-compatible visible light. Herein, we report red-shifted azobenzene-derived synthetic anionophores that use amber or red light to trigger (E)-(Z) photoisomerisation and activation of transmembrane chloride transport. We demonstrate that by tuning the thermal half-life of the more active, but thermodynamically unstable, Z isomer to relax on the timescale of minutes, transient activation of ion transport can be achieved by activating solely with visible light and deactivating by thermal relaxation.