Abstract: Azobenzene chromophore group is known to exist in two isomeric states, trans and cis forms. We synthesized polymers with azobenzene moieties by molecular imprinting, which can recognize porphyrin derivatives. The imprinted polymer showed stronger binding of the template molecule than the corresponding blank polymer. Moreover, the binding ability of the imprinted polymer was changed by the photoirradiation. This means that the photo-controlled molecular recognition was accomplished by trans-cis isomerization of azobenzene groups in the binding sites of the imprinted polymer
Author keywords: Azobenzene, molecular recognition, Molecularly imprinted polymers, photoisomerization