Affiliation:
1. State and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymeric Materials Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Novel Functional Polymeric Materials Suzhou Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Design and Precision Synthesis College of Chemistry Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Soochow University Suzhou China
2. School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering Anhui Polytechnic University Wuhu China
Abstract
AbstractChirality is a fundamental property in nature, which is essential for the existence and survival of living organisms. Smart responsive chiroptical materials have garnered increasing attention due to their unique structural characteristics and potential applications. Among these, azobenzene (Azo), as a typical photoresponsive chromophore, plays a crucial role in constructing and controlling chiral structures. The unique cis‐trans isomerization, liquid crystallinity, and other physicochemical properties allow for a wide range of tunability in stimuli‐responsive chiroptical materials. Herein, we review the research studies in the field of chiral/achiral Azo building blocks for multilevel chiral generation as well as chiral switching, and summarize the recent advances on the applications of the chiral Azo structures from micro to macro levels. Finally, we aim to provide an overview of the potential challenges and new research opportunities for the development of novel smart responsive chiroptical materials.