Polarized spectroscopy of hybrid materials of chiral Schiff base cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II), and zinc(II) complexes and photochromic azobenzenes in PMMA films

A chiral Schiff base complex, bis(N-R-1-phenylethyl-3,5-dichlorosalicydenaminato) cobalt(II) was prepared newly and characterized to be a distorted tetrahedral trans-[CoN2O2] coordination geometry. Organic/inorganic hybrid materials containing the related cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II), and zinc(II) complexes and photochromic azobenzene in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) cast films were assembled for comparison of their flexibility and molecular arrangement in the photofunctional medium. Characterization of each component and hybrid materials was carried out by means of absorption and CD spectra and thermal analysis (TG-DTA and DSC), Moreover, we have attempted to observe changes of conformation and/or molecular arrangement of the complexes or azobenzene induced by cis-trans photoisomerization of azobenzene after alternate irradiation of polarized UV and visible light. Gradual increase of optical anisotropy was observed for all the hybrid materials regardless of flexibility of Schiff base complexes, and the degree of dichroism and weak intermolecular interactions were discussed based on polarized absorption electronic spectra. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.