Photoswitchable supramolecular self-assembly of amphiphilic peptides enabled by backbone-integrated spiropyran.

Abstract

Photoswitchable spiropyran (SP) is incorporated within the backbone of an amphiphilic peptide, enabling photoresponsive control of its self-assembly behaviour. In the dark, the ring-opened planar protonated merocyanine (MCH) conformation promotes the formation of fibrous nanostructures, whereas under irradiation, the ring-closed twisted SP conformation favours the assembly of micellar morphologies.