Chasing the rainbow: Exploiting photosensitizers to drive photoisomerization reactions
Review article, 2023

Photoswitchable molecules have garnered considerable attention for their versatility and diverse applications, spanning from solar energy harvesting and storage to drug delivery and molecular motors. The chemical conversions that make photoswitches a desirable system are driven by specific wavelengths of light, which often demand intricate molecular modifications. An alternative approach to achieve the photoisomerization reaction is through energy transfer with photosensitizers. Photosensitizers play a pivotal role in various light-induced processes and have demonstrated successful applications in photodynamic therapy, dye-sensitized solar cells, and activating photochemical reactions. Therefore, combining photoswitching systems with sensitizers presents an attractive alternative for advancing light-responsive material design and enabling innovative light-controlled technologies. This review summarizes the energy transfer mechanisms and strategies involved in sensitized molecular photoswitchable systems, emphasizing the performance of various combined systems, and potential applications. Furthermore, recent advances and emerging trends in this field are also discussed, offering insights into prospective future directions for the development of light-responsive materials.

Diarylethene

photoisomerization

Norbornadiene

photosensitizers

Azobenzene

Author

Zhihang Wang

University of Cambridge

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Lorette Fernandez

Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)

Muhammad Adil Salman Aslam

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Lidiya Musherefa Muhammad

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Monika Shamsabadi

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Kasper Moth-Poulsen

Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)

Polytechnic University of Catalonia

Responsive Materials

2834-8966 (ISSN) 2834-8966 (eISSN)

Vol. 1 2

Areas of Advance

Energy

Subject Categories (SSIF 2011)

Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics

Energy Systems

DOI

10.1002/rpm.20230012

More information

Latest update

3/9/2025 1