Bidirectional light-induced conductance switching in molecular wires containing a dimethyldihydropyrene unit.

Photochromic coordination polymers, based on zinc(ii) bis-terpyridine-appended dimethyldihydropyrene building blocks, have been synthesized following stepwise synthesis on a surface yielding photo-switchable molecular junctions. Under irradiation, reversible structural changes occur by the isomerization of the photosensitive units, thus inducing conductance switching of the molecular junctions with a good reproducibility.