Visible‐light‐switchable Chalcone‐Flavylium Photochromic Systems in Aqueous Media

Abstract

The chalcone‐flavylium photochromic system switches in aqueous media. However, the chalcone→flavylium conversion requires detrimental ultra‐violet (UV) light for the switching which deters their applications in the biological domain. To address this issue, we have synthesized strategically modified chalcone scaffolds that can be reversibly switched to the flavylium forms with visible light ranging from 456 nm (blue) to 640 nm (red).