Abstract: Decafluoroazobenzene was synthesized with satisfied yield via 1,2,3,4,5-pentafluoroaniline as the starting material and FeSO4?7H2O supported KMnO4 as the oxidant. Decafluoroazobenzene was hydrolyzed in t-BuOH in the presence of KOH, and then methacrylated with methacrylic chloride. Finally, a photoresponsive functional monomer, (4-methacryloyloxy)nonafluoroazobenzene(MANFAB), was obtained. The structure of MANFAB was confirmed by GC-MS, elemental analysis, and NMR. The photoresponsive properties of MANFAB were studied by UV-Vis. Photoresponsive cross-linked polymer containing fluoro-azobenzene were prepared by radical polymerization with trimethylolpropanetrimethylacrylate as the cross-linker, (4-methacryloyloxy)nonafluoroazobenzene as the functional monomer, and AIBN as the initiator. After polymerization, the photoisomerizations of fluoro-azobenzene chromophore were retained. And the photoresponsive properties of the polymer materials were also studied by UV-Vis spectra.

Key words: Decafluoroazobenzene, (4-Methacryloyloxy)nonafluoroazobenzene(MANFAB), Photoresponsive polymer