Photochemical and Electrochemical Triggered Bis(hydrazone) Switch

Herein, we report the synthesis of a double hydrazone capable of undergoing photochemical E/Z isomerization through the imine double bonds. The bis(hydrazone) 1-E,E can be considered as a two-arm system in which the controlled movement of each arm is obtained by photo-modulation, making possible the appearance of two isolable metastable isomeric states 1-E,Z and 1-Z,Z. Such states are characterized by very specific structural, optical, and electrochemical properties. The latter allows the reversible return from either 1-E,Z or 1-Z,Z to the 1-E,E state. Our results are of great importance in the further development of molecular machines and photochemically controlled reactions by introducing for the first time double hydrazones as tunable photochemical switches.