Photosensitive crown ether–siloxane copolymers bearing azobenzene chromophores

This paper presents the synthesis procedure of new photosensitive siloxane–crown ether copolymers using the polycondensation reaction of an oligosiloxane with COCl end groups and bisazo derivatives of dibenzo-18-crown-6 polyether. The azodiphenol compounds were prepared via the coupling reaction of 4,4′-diamine-DB18C6 diazonium salt with phenol or 1-naphthol. The polymers were characterized by IR absorption and 1H-NMR spectra as well as by thermal analysis and GPC. A study of the photoisomerization process as well as the thermal relaxation of azoaromatic chromophores in the polysiloxane–crown ether copolymer in dimethyl sulfoxide solution and of the corresponding complexes with KSCN was also presented.