Driving dendrimers with light: Dendrimers with azobenzene central linkers

Several new classes of azobenzene-containing dendrimers have been prepared and characterized. Three central linker azobenzenes, p-(p'-hydroxyphenylazo)phenol (A), aniline p-(p'-chlorocarbonylphenylazo)benzoyl chloride (B), and p-(p'-aminophenylazo) (C) were reacted with the appropriate dendritic fragment ([Gn]Br for A and C; [Gn]OH for B) to yield dendrimers 1-3 of varying generational size. The photoresponsive characterization of these dendrimers illustrates the insensitivity of the photoresponsive behavior of the azobenzene with respect to the nature of the attached dendritic fragment.