Photo-responsive MOFs: light-induced switching of porous single crystals containing a photochromic diarylethene

Herein we report the synthesis and characterization of light responsive metal organic framework (MOF) single crystals containing the photochromic diarylethene 1,2-bis(2,5-dimethyl-thien-3-yl)perfluorocyclopentene. Polarized light microscopy on single crystals indicates that the photochrome is preferentially aligned along the c-axis of the host.