Photooptical behavior of a liquid-crystalline dendrimer of the first generation with azobenzene terminal groups

A new LC dendrimer of the first generation with azobenzene terminal groups which forms an SmA mesophase over a wide temperature range was synthesized. The photooptical behavior of the dendrimer in a dilute solution and in him was compared. It was shown that the E-Z photoisomerization of azobenzene g roups proceeds both in solution and film under UV irradiation. This process is reversible photochemically and thermally: irradiation with visible ligh t (similar to 550 nm) and annealing lead to the inverse Z-E photoisomerizat ion. The kinetics of the inverse thermal process was studied, and its activ ation energy was calculated.