Photocontrolled self-assembly of azobenzene nanocontainers in water: light-triggered uptake and release of lipophilic molecules.

An easy to synthesize azobenzene based amphiphile spontaneously self-assembles into monodisperse nanoaggregates in water. The large difference in the critical aggregation concentration between the E and Z stereoisomeric forms enables photocontrol of its aggregation state over a wide concentration range: light-triggered release and uptake of lipophilic molecules is achieved in aqueous solution.