@article{ReifarthBekirBapolisietal.2022, author = {Reifarth, Martin and Bekir, Marek and Bapolisi, Alain M. and Titov, Evgenii and Nusshardt, Fabian and Nowaczyk, Julius and Grigoriev, Dmitry and Sharma, Anjali and Saalfrank, Peter and Santer, Svetlana and Hartlieb, Matthias and B{\"o}ker, Alexander}, title = {A dual pH- and light-responsive spiropyrane-based surfactant}, series = {Angewandte Chemie : a journal of the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker ; International edition}, volume = {61}, journal = {Angewandte Chemie : a journal of the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker ; International edition}, number = {21}, publisher = {Wiley-VCH}, address = {Weinheim}, issn = {1433-7851}, doi = {10.1002/anie.202114687}, pages = {10}, year = {2022}, abstract = {A cationic surfactant containing a spiropyrane unit is prepared exhibiting a dual-responsive adjustability of its surface-active characteristics. The switching mechanism of the system relies on the reversible conversion of the non-ionic spiropyrane (SP) to a zwitterionic merocyanine (MC) and can be controlled by adjusting the pH value and via light, resulting in a pH-dependent photoactivity: While the compound possesses a pronounced difference in surface activity between both forms under acidic conditions, this behavior is suppressed at a neutral pH level. The underlying switching processes are investigated in detail, and a thermodynamic explanation based on a combination of theoretical and experimental results is provided. This complex stimuli-responsive behavior enables remote-control of colloidal systems. To demonstrate its applicability, the surfactant is utilized for the pH-dependent manipulation of oil-in-water emulsions.}, language = {en} }