Basics

 

 

 

 

Photoswitches are molecules that upon irradiation with light of a certain color (wavelength) change their three-dimensional structure and characteristics (e.g. charge, dipole moment, solubility, etc.). Incorporation of a photoswitch into a drug-molecule renders that drug photoswitchable. A photoswitch can either be bistable, meaning that both isomeric forms of the photoswitch are stable or one form can be unstable and tends to thermally revert to the more stable form. Usually, one desires the unstable form of the photoswitch and thus of the drug molecule to be the active form. But that can vary on the purpose and target.

 

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