Synthesis of photo-switchable 3-FcAB-modified polymer particles

3-Ferrocenylazobenzene (3-FcAB)-containing polymers were prepared using solution polymerization and emulsion polymerization. Polymer A, prepared by solution polymerization followed by re-precipitation, and Polymer B, prepared by emulsion polymerization, had spherical shapes with the outer diameters of ca. 300 nm and ca. 20 nm, respectively. Both the polymers responded to green light, UV light, and blue light in solution like monomeric 3-FcAB and its derivatives. In the solid state, Polymer A exhibited both isomerization and re-orientation behaviors upon light irradiation, indicating a possibility to achieve a light-induced shape change by the re-orientation of the chromophore. On the other hand, Polymer B underwent simple photoisomerization behaviors, which is more preferable for developing a switching system using spectroscopic detection of the isomerization behaviors of nano-dots.