Molecular Photoswitches, Fluorescent Ion Sensors, and Lanthanide Complexes

We are developing new types of molecular photo switches, in which photo-isomerisation is triggered with bio-compatible wavelengths of red/near IR light for a range of applications in biological contexts (Chem. Sci., 2022). In particular, we are interested in photo-responsive receptors in which binding and guest sensing is regulated with light, for controlled uptake, release, and imaging applications, as well as triggering catalytic processes. This approach has been studied for both hydrogen and halogen bonding systems (Chem. Commun., 2023), and exploited in lanthanide-based systems for information storage in collaboration with Steve Faulkner (PCCP, 2024). We have also demonstrated the efficacy of tetraphenylethylene based photo-switches which show anion dependent aggregation induced emission (AIE) and photo-regulated anion binding (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2021).
lanthanides figure

Selected Publications

1. Fast Relaxing Red and Near-IR Switchable Azobenzenes with Chalcogen and Halogen Substituents: Periodic Trends, Tunable Thermal Half-lives and Chalcogen Bonding

A. Kerckhoffs, K. E. Christensen, and M. J. Langton*, Chem. Sci., 2022, 13, 11551-11559 (Hot article)

 

2. Photo-switchable Anion Binding and Catalysis with a Visible Light Responsive Halogen Bonding Receptor

A.Kerckhoffs, I. Moss, and M. J. Langton*, Chem. Commun., 2023, 59, 51-54 (Hot article)

 

3. Photoswitchable Luminescent Lanthanide Complexes Controlled and Interrogated by Four Orthogonal Wavelengths of Light

C.Simms, V. R. M. Nielsen, T. J. Sørensen, S. Faulkner*, and M. J. Langton*, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2024, 26, 18683-18691

 

4. Halogen Bonding Tetraphenylethene Anion Receptors: Anion-induced Emissive Aggregates and Photoswitchable Recognition

A. Docker, X. Shang, D. Yuan, H. Kuhn, Z. Zhang, J. J. Davis, P. D. Beer*, and M. J. Langton*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2021, 23, 19442-19450