The structural design of molecular machines and motors endows them with externally controlled directional motion at the molecular scale. Their further ...

Multi-addressable molecular photoswitches whose isomerisation can be triggered not only by light, but also by other stimuli are appealing for the development of novel smart materials as well as for br...

N-Alkyl imines are prevalent in dynamic-covalent chemistry and self-assembled structures, yet their E/Z photochromism is often overlooked due to the high-energy light required for isomerization. Here, we present a simple strategy to enhance their photoswitching properties, achieving switching wavelengths and photostationary state distributions comparable to azobenzene. Moreover, we demonstrate that these N-alkyl imines undergo photoisomerization in the condensed phase and exhibit isomer-dependent fluorescence. We anticipate that this study will inspire the design of photoresponsive architectures that operate directly at the dynamic-covalent bond, eliminating the need for dedicated photoswitchable motifs.