Formation of Supramolecular Donor–Acceptor Complexes between Bis(pyridiniomethyl)azobenzenes and Eosin in Solutions and at Solid Interfaces: Transduction into Optical and Microgravimetric Signals

The formation and dissociation of complexes between eosin derivatives and the photoisomerizable azobenzene derivatives (E)-1 and (Z)-1 is reversibly switched light. An eosin monolayer assembled onto a quartz crystal is an active interface for the transduction of the photochemically induced formation of the complex with (E)-1 and the dissociation of the complex upon photoisomerization to the Z isomer. Thus optical signals can be transduced into electronic signals.