Light-Induced Formation/Scission of C–N, C–O, and C–S Bonds Enables Switchable Stability/Degradability in Covalent Systems

The manipulation of covalent bonds could be directed toward degradable, recyclable, and sustainable materials. However, there is an intrinsic conflict between properties of stability and degradability. Here we report light-controlled formation/scission of three types of covalent bonds (C-N, C-O, and C-S) through photoswitching between equilibrium and nonequilibrium states of dynamic covalent systems, achieving dual benefits of photoaddressable...