Photochemistry of immobilized photoactive compounds

The development of responsive molecular based materials and surfaces requires the incorporation of functional molecular components. In this regard thermo-, electro- and photochromic systems are of considerable interest. In this review, the immobilization of photoactive inorganic complexes is focused upon with attention directed to highlighting general issues presented by immobilization compared with photochemistry in solution; not least the effect of surface confinement on reactivity together with the stability of these systems in operation, e.g., the involvement or otherwise of the surface employed in perturbing molecular properties and the effect of surface confinement on essentially bimolecular solution photochemistry. In this review several demonstrative examples of photoactive molecular inorganic systems in which the photochemistry has been explored in the immobilized state under ambient conditions and especially on electroactive surfaces will be discussed including self-assembled monolayers, polymers and sol gel systems.