Photoresponsive Toroidal Nanostructure Formed by Self-Assembly of Azobenzene-Functionalized Tris(phenylisoxazolyl)benzene.

The self-assembly of tris(phenylisoxazolyl)benzene 1b with photochemically addressable azobenzene moieties produced toroidal nanostructures, the formation and dissociation of which were reversibly regulated upon photoirradiation. 1b displayed a mesogenic behavior. In the solution, the stacked assemblies along with their C3 axes were formed. In the mesophase, two molecules of 1b most likely adopted the antiparallel arrangement to stabilize the columnar organization. This assembling behavior most likely triggered the development of the supramolecular toroidal nanostructures.