Several receptors based on nonconjugated bichromophores displaying phototun
able cation binding properties have been designed and studied. Some of thes
e systems undergo a reversible photocyclisation to produce a crown ether or
a cryptand; the photoswitching induces significant changes on a long time
scale (hours to months after illumination) of the complexing ability of the
material. Other bitopic receptors display a sudden ann transitory change o
f cation concentration only during the singlet excited state lifetime. (C)
1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.