Molecular redesign unlocks 99.89% light-driven control of azobiphenyl liquid crystals

Puntos clave

• The aim is to achieve high levels of light-driven control over liquid crystals using molecular redesign.
• Developed two series of 14 unsymmetric azocholesterol dimers.
• Experimented with varied lengths of spacers (n = 3-9) connecting chiral cholesterol to azobenzene.
• Incorporated terminal cyano or ester groups to modify electronic properties.
• Achieved 99.89% light-driven control over the liquid crystals with optimized azocholesterol dimers.
• Demonstrated effectiveness of chiral cholesterol in enhancing light responsiveness.
• Showed that varying spacer lengths significantly impacted photoswitching efficiency.