Ferreira, PedroVentura, BarbaraBarbieri, AndreaDa Silva, José PauloLaia, Cesar A. T.Jorge Parola, A.Basilie, Nuno2020-07-242020-07-242019-030947-65391521-3765http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/14392The discovery of stimuli-responsive high affinity host-guest pairs with potential applications under biologically relevant conditions is a challenging goal. This work reports a high-affinity 1:1 complex formed between cucurbit[8]uril and a water-soluble photochromic diarylethene derivative. It was found that, by confining the open isomer within the cavity of the receptor, a redshift in the absorption spectrum and an enhancement of the photocyclization quantum yield from phi=0.04 to phi=0.32 were induced. This improvement in the photochemical performance enables quantitative photocyclization with visible light that, together with the near-infrared light-induced ring-opening reaction and the 100-fold selectivity for the closed isomer, confirms this as an outstanding light-responsive affinity pair.engSupramolecular latching systemBinding pairsDiaryletheneRecognitionChemistryPhotochromismInhibitionComplexesReleasejournal article10.1002/chem.201806105