Induction of molecular chirality by circularly polarized light in cyclic azobenzene with a photoswitchable benzene rotor.

New phototriggered molecular machines based on cyclic azobenzene were synthesized in which a 2,5-dimethoxy, 2,5-dimethyl, 2,5-difluorine or unsubstituted-1,4-dioxybenzene rotating unit and a photoisomerizable 3,3'-dioxyazobenzene moiety are bridged together by fixed bismethylene spacers. Depending upon substitution on the benzene moiety and on the E/Z conformation of the azobenzene unit, these molecules suffer various degrees of restriction on the free rotation of the benzene rotor. The rotation of the substituted benzene rotor within the cyclic azobenzene cavity imparts planar chirality to the molecules. Cyclic azobenzene 1, with methoxy groups at both the 2- and 5-positions of the benzene rotor, was so conformationally restricted that free rotation of the rotor was prevented in both the E and Z isomers and the respective planar chiral enantiomers were resolved. In contrast, compound 2, with 2,5-dimethylbenzene as the rotor, demonstrated the property of a light-controlled molecular brake, whereby rotation of the 2,5-dimethylbenzene moiety is completely stopped in the E isomer (brake ON, rotation OFF), while the rotation is allowed in the Z isomer (brake OFF, rotation ON). The cyclic azobenzene 3, with fluorine substitution on the benzene rotor, was in the brake OFF state regardless of E/Z photoisomerization of the azobenzene moiety. More interestingly, for the first time, we demonstrated the induction of molecular chirality in a simple monocyclic azobenzene by circular-polarized light. The key characteristics of cyclic azobenzene 2, that is, stability of the chiral structure in the E isomer, fast racemization in the Z isomer, and the circular dichroism of enantiomers of both E and Z isomers, resulted in a simple reversible enantio-differentiating photoisomerization directly between the E enantiomers. Upon exposure to r- or l-circularly polarized light at 488 nm, partial enrichment of the (S)- or (R)-enantiomers of 2 was observed.