Reversible Photocycloadditions, a Powerful Tool for Tailoring (Nano)Materials

Molecularly designed materials are increasingly attracting attention not only because of the variety of their applications but also due to the challenging strategies necessary for their design and synthesis. Highly complex and functional (nano)materials are obtained by exploiting simple tools and concepts from different disciplines, introducing the desired properties into the final product. It is shown that by combining fundaments from organic chemistry, polymer and materials science, photoresponsive nanoparticles are easily generated, and how responsiveness is achieved by exploiting photocycloadditions, which are extremely selective, react in good yields without the formation of side products, proceed under benign conditions, and present the great advantage of being reversible.