ForewordINTRODUCTION: Interplay of Light and Matter1. Photophysical Properties of Molecular Photoswitches2. Computational Methods and PhotochromismPART I: Chemical Classes of Molecular Photoswitches3. Azobenzenes: The Quest for Visible Light Triggering4. Diazocines - Bridged Azobenzenes with Unusual Properties5. Arylazoheterocycles6. Arylhydrazones7. Spiropyrans - Molecules with Multiple Facets 8. Diarylethenes9. Fulgides and Fulgimides10. Dihydropyrene/Cyclophanediene11. Chiroptical Molecular Switches12. Stilbenes Revisited13. Indigoids14. Dono-Acceptor Stenhouse Adducts15. Photochromic Imines16. Norbornadiene/Quadricyclane (NBD/QC) and Conversion of Solar Energy17. Dihydroazulene/Vinylheptafulvene (DHA/VHF) and Molecular Electronics18. Other Emerging Switches19. Photochromism of Coordination Compounds20. Catalysis with Molecular SwitchesPART II: Materials Based on Molecular Photoswitches21. Multinary Molecular Switches and their Applications22. Light-Induced Solid-to-Liquid Transitions of Photochromic Materials 23. Rapid Switching and Holographx24. Photoswitchable Ion Receptors25. Molecular Switches in Liquid Crystalline Polymer Actuator26. Photochromism in Liquid Crystals27. Superresolution Microscopy with Photoswitchable Fluorophores28. Photochromic Nanoparticles: From Fluorescence to Assembly29. Photochromism and Mechanical Performance of Diarylethene Molecular Crystals30. Light-Triggered Metal-Organic Frameworks31. Molecular Switches and Motors in 2D Assemblies32. Light-Driven Molecular Machines33. Photochromic Molecular Logic DevicesPART III: Photomodulation of Biological Systems34. In Vivo Applications of Photoswitchable Bioactive Compounds35. Photopharmacology of Antibiotic Agents36. Photoswitchable Cytotoxins37. Photopharmacology of G-Protein-Coupled Receptors38. Photoswitching of Ion Channels39. Photochromic Oligonucleotides40. Photochromic Peptides and Peptoids41. Photochromic Saccharides42. Light-Propelled Muscles and Photoregulation of Motor Proteins43. Computational Design of Photochromic Proteins
Zbigniew Pianowski is an independent group leader (KIT Associate Fellow) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany. From 2017 to 2019, he additionally served as Deputy Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Heidelberg, Germany. His current research and teaching interests are focused on applications of molecular photoswitches to control biological systems of various complexity, the origins of life on earth, and various aspects of synthetic biology.