A triarylamine-triarylborane dyad with a photochromic dithienylethene bridge

A molecular triad composed of a triarylamine donor, a triarylborane acceptor, and a photoisomerizable dithienylethene bridge has been synthesized and explored by cyclic voltammetry, UV-vis, and luminescence spectroscopy. The effects of irradiation with UV light and fluoride addition on the electrochemical and optical spectroscopic properties of the donor-bridge-acceptor molecule were investigated. Photoisomerization of the dithienylethene bridge affects the triarylboron reduction potential, but not the triarylamine oxidation potential. UV-vis experiments reveal that the association constant for fluoride binding at the triarylborane site is independent of the isomerization state of the bridge. Irradiation of a THF solution of our donor-bridge-acceptor molecule with UV light, followed by F(-) addition, leads to a different color of the sample than UV irradiation alone or F(-) addition alone.