Synthesis and Evaluation of a Photochromic Surfactant for Organic Reactions in Aqueous Media

A novel photochromic azobenzene-based surfactant was described for organic chemistry in water. The molecule 4-butylazobenzyl-4′-triazologlucuronic acid sodium salt thus synthesized can be isomerized from its trans to its cis form reversibly in solution by simple light irradiation. That property allowed the recyclability of a model acetylation reaction performed in the surfactant media, compared to the well-known, commercially available sodium dodecyl sulfate surfactant media