Research Areas

Our research lies at the intersection of molecular photoswitches, dynamic covalent chemistry, and self-assembly. We design next-generation imine photoswitches with programmable properties, use light as a driving force to push systems far from equilibrium, and translate molecular-level control into the assembly of complex helical architectures. Together, these three themes—photoswitch design, out-of-equilibrium behaviour, and controlled assembly—form the foundation of our efforts to uncover new principles of function in responsive molecular systems.

Photoswitch Design

Schematic for the design of imine-based photoswitches

New designs of photoswitchable imines and elucidating structure-property relationships.

Historically, imine (aldimine)-based photoswitches have been overlooked due to their poor performance. Limitations included low conversion to metastable isomers, the requirement for high-energy light, and short-lived metastable states, all of which hindered characterisation and applications. Since establishing the group in April 2023, we have addressed these challenges by achieving quantitative conversion to metastable isomers, developing visible-light-responsive imines, and realising thermal half-lives of metastable states exceeding one day at room temperature. This latter achievement enabled the first crystallisation of an imine in the metastable Z-state, now recorded in the CCDC.

We continue to explore imine-based photoswitches and employ them as accessible tools to realise light-driven functions.

Out-of-Equilibrium and Non-Equilibrium Steady States

Schematic of a NESSS achieved under constant irradiation

Investigating light-driven out-of-equilibrium behaviour and non-equilibrium steady states.

Light can be used as an energy source to drive systems away from equilibrium. We are exploring how our recently developed imine-based photoswitches can be perturbed under irradiation. Constructing systems with competing amines enables transimination, a type of dynamic exchange reaction. Under light irradiation, we observed that such systems can be driven into higher-energy states by functioning as an information ratchet.

Building on this discovery, we have demonstrated how light can perturb non-photoresponsive imines out of equilibrium by constructing reaction cascades. This is now a highly active area of research in our group.

Controlled Assembly

Schematic illustrating controlled self-assembly

New approaches to controllably assemble helices with tailored properties using stimuli-responsive monomers.

Achieving long/polymeric helices with precise control over pitch, handedness, and defect density remains a key challenge. We develop programmable monomer designs and dynamic-covalent strategies that translate molecular level information into mesoscale order. Our platforms emphasize reversibility, error-correction, and orthogonal stimuli to enable hierarchical assembly on demand.