A two-step approach to a glycoazobenzene macrocycle with remarkable photoswitchable features.

A combination of the Mitsunobu reaction and Glaser coupling was used to achieve a new glycoazobenzene macrocycle. This photosensitive macrocycle can be efficiently and reversibly switched between two stable conformational isomers, which are characterized with photoswitchable shape, chiroptical and solubility behaviour.