Photonic switching of molecular properties using photochromes

Research Project, 2011 – 2016

In this project, photochromic molecules, or photochromes, will be used for the light-controlled switching of a variety of different photophysical/photochemical processes with relevance in physics, chemistry and biology. More specifically, I intend to use the photochromic activity for the *on-off* switching of energy- and electron transfer reactions, as well as photoswitched DNA-binding and cell membrane penetration. Although photoswitched DNA-binding is extremely interesting per se, I will show how this phenomenon may be used in the contexts of DNA condensation, optical positioning of DNA-molecules on lipid surfaces, and photo-controlled self-assembly of a DNA photonic wire. The supramolecular chemistry approach will also be used for the photoswitching of electron transfer in a tri-component system by controlling the intermolecular forces between the donor and the acceptor, whereas the intramolecular energy transfer process in a photochromic dyad will be controlled for the purpose of white-light generation and fluorescence color tuning. In the latter project, the overall function is integrated in one and the same molecular dyad, and there is no need for bimolecular contacts etc. for the desired function to be performed. Potential future applications of the abovementioned projects can be identified in the realization of molecular electronic devices and light activated anticancer drugs.