Synthesis of azobenzenes: the coloured pieces of molecular materials

Azobenzenes are ubiquitous motifs very important in many areas of science. Azo compounds display crucial properties for important applications, mainly for the chemical industry. Because of their discovery, the main application of aromatic azo compounds has been their use as dyes. These compounds are excellent candidates to function as molecular switches because of their efficient cis-trans isomerization in the presence of appropriate radiation. The classical methods for the synthesis of azo compounds are the azo coupling reaction (coupling of diazonium salts with activated aromatic compounds), the Mills reaction (reaction between aromatic nitroso derivatives and anilines) and the Wallach reaction…

• RS
  Royal Society
• RS
  Royal Society of Chemistry