Azobenzene protonation as a tool for temperature sensing.

ABSTRACT: Azobenzenes can be protonated at one of the azo nitrogen atoms, leading to significant changes in their absorption and photochemical properties. While azobenzene protonation has been recently used as a tool in photoswitching studies, the factors influencing protonation itself have received little attention. Here, we report a strong temperature dependence of azobenzene protonation in 1,2-dichloroethane and highlight its potential for temperature sensing applications. Density functional theory calculations were performed to support our findings and to investigate the mechanisms of azobenzene-acid interactions, aiming to guide the design of azobenzene-based temperature sensors in future research.

SUBMITTER: Siiskonen A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12320741 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature