Red-Shifting Azobenzene Photoswitches for in Vivo Use

ConspectusRecently, there has been a great deal of interest in using the photoisomerization of azobenzene compounds to control specific biological targets in vivo. These azo compounds can be used as research tools or, in principle, could act as optically controlled drugs. Such “photopharmaceuticals” offer the prospect of targeted drug action and an unprecedented degree of temporal control.A key feature of azo compounds designed to photoswitch in vivo is the wavelength of light required to cause the photoisomerization. To pass through tissue such as the human hand, wavelengths in the red, far-red, or ideally near infrared region are required. This Account describes our attempts to produce such azo…

• NS
  Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
• NI
  National Institute of Mental Health

  Award: R01MH086379