Glycomacrocycle-Based Azobenzene Derivatives as Chiral Dopants for Photoresponsive Cholesteric Liquid Crystals.

We demonstrate photoresponsive cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs) doped with glycomacrocyclic azobenzene derivatives, which exhibit large conformational changes, providing dynamic control of helical superstructures in response to a light stimulus. An unprecedented shortening of the helical pitch length and the empowerment of helical twisting power up to 500% are observed upon () to () photoisomerization. Light-driven dynamic helix twisting and untwisting behavior affords the first example of glycomacrocyclic azobenzene-based CLCs, which can drive the mechanical movement of micro-objects.

Photoswitchable CENP-E Inhibitor Enabling the Dynamic Control of Chromosome Movement and Mitotic Progression.

Interfering with mitosis is a potential cancer therapy strategy. However, the lack of controllability of antimitotic drugs in cell growth suppression causes severe side effects and limits their clinical utility. Herein, we developed an azobenzene-based photoswitchable inhibitor of CENP-E, a mitotic kinesin required for chromosome transportation.

Molecular Crankshaft Effect Converting Piston-like Molecular Motion to Continuous Rotation of Macro Objects.

A molecular system inducing an accumulative unidirectional rotation motion of glass flakes with about 100 μm in size is introduced. The molecular system is a chiral nematic liquid crystal containing a chiral azobenzene derivative which shows a reversible E- Z photoisomerization accompanying a large helical twisting power change. A film of the molecular system shows different texture change paths upon UV and visible light irradiations inducing " E to Z" and " Z to E" photoisomerizations, respectively, of the chiral azobenzene dopant.