Photodimerizable Ditopic Ligand

Abstract
The synthesis, photophysical properties, and structural characterization of a photodimerizable ditopic ligand are described. Upon irradiation at 366 nm, ligand 1 dimerizes to the head-to-tail tetra-bpy ligand 2. This thermally stable photodimer can be dissociated back to 1 using higher energy irradiation (254 nm).