• Controlling Supramolecular Structures of Drugs by Light.

      Wiest, Johannes; Kehrein, Josef; Saedtler, Marco; Schilling, Klaus; Cataldi, Eleonora; Sotriffer, Christoph A; Holzgrabe, Ulrike; Rasmussen, Tim; Böttcher, Bettina; Cronin-Golomb, Mark; et al. (American Chemical Society (ACS), 2020-10-29)
      Controlling physicochemical properties of light-unresponsive drugs, by light, prima facie, a paradox approach. We expanded light control by ion pairing light-unresponsive salicylate or ibuprofen to photoswitchable azobenzene counterions, thereby reversibly controlling supramolecular structures, hence the drugs' physicochemical and kinetic properties. The resulting ion pairs photoliquefied into room-temperature ionic liquids under ultraviolet light. Aqueous solutions showed trans-cis-dependent supramolecular structures under a light with wormlike aggregates decomposing into small micelles and vice versa. Light control allowed for permeation through membranes of cis-ibuprofen ion pairs within 12 h in contrast to the trans ion pairs requiring 72 h. In conclusion, azobenzene ion-pairing expands light control of physicochemical and kinetic properties to otherwise light-unresponsive drugs.