# Reversible Photoswitching of Donor–Acceptor Stenhouse Adducts in Water

## TL;DR

Researchers found that certain chemical compounds can switch states reversibly in water, opening up possibilities for use in biological applications.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates reversible photoswitching of DASA in water, a previously elusive feature.

## Key findings

- DASA forms stable complexes with cucurbit[n]urils in water.
- The complexes show reversible T-type photoswitching in water.
- This behavior suggests potential for biologically relevant applications.

## Abstract

Adamantane-substituted donor–acceptor Stenhouse
adducts
(DASA) form highly stable host–guest complexes with cucurbit­[n]­urils (n = 7, 8) in water. These assemblies
show kinetic stabilization of the colored linear form and, remarkably,
exhibit reversible T-type photoswitching in water. These so far elusive
features for first-generation DASA reveal a strategy for their potential
use in biorelevant contexts.