Photoresponsive polymers containing side-chain chiral azocarbazole chromophores as multifunctional materials

A new optically active photochromic polymethacrylate containing the carbazole moiety, deriving from the chiral monomer (S)-(4-cyanophenyl)-[3-[9-[2-(2-methacryloyloxypropanoyloxy) ethyl]carbazolyl]]diazene [(S)-MLECA] has been prepared and fully characterized with the aim to obtain a multifunctional material which can be considered at the same time as a photonic material for NLO and optical storage, for chiroptical switches, and for photorefractive and photoconductive applications. The complete reversibility of the photoinduced linear birefringence, which is related to fatigue resistance properties seems to be promising for use in optical storage or more generally in the field of photoresponsive systems, and it is not necessary to add dopants in order to observe photoconduction thanks to the presence of the carbazole moiety, which is well known for its hole conducting properties.