Towards a dynamic covalent molecular switch: substituent effects in chalcone/flavanone isomerism.

Chalcone/flavanone interconversion occurs facilely under aqueous alkaline conditions making it a promising scaffold for the development of a covalent molecular switch. In this study, a single methoxy substituent is shown to have a significant impact on the equilibrium dynamics of this reaction; this impact is dependent on the site of substitution.