Antimicrobial azo molecules: a review

Among the photochromes superfamily, azobenzene subgroup is the most extensively produced and used scaffold for many applications. However, the emergence of MDR (multi-drug resistant) bacterial strains brought to light the urgent need of efficient antimicrobial molecules. In that context, this review aims to compile the different approaches coupling azobenzene and antimicrobial activity. Thus, this paper will focus on mono-azo, bis-azo and tetra-azo dyes, surfactant-azo molecules, organometallic azo dyes and photochromic azo materials with antimicrobial activities.