Control over Unfolding Pathways by Localizing Photoisomerization Events within Heterosequence Oligoazobenzene Foldamers

From the inside out or from the outside in? Two photoswitchable foldamers that incorporate azobenzene moieties as the energy-acceptor units have been designed. The pathway of helix unfolding can be controlled by localizing these photoinduced triggers (shown in red) either at the core (left) or at the termini (right) of the helix.