Synthesis and properties of a novel photochromic luminophore

A photochemically bifunctional compound was obtained. Its molecule includes the spironaphthoxazine and dansylamino fragments. This compound exhibits both photochromic and luminescent properties. Its spectroscopic characteristics were studied in different solvents. The electronic systems of two constituent fragments do not interact with each other. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 12, pp. 2802–2805, December, 2005.     

Efficient blue light-responsed dithienylethenes with exceptional photochromic performance

Three novel dithienylethenes modified by bifluoroboron β-diketonate fragments have been successfully developed. Upon blue light irradiation, they reached photostationary state within 2–5 s, as well as 100% conversion ratio and photocyclization quantum yield of > 0.70. Such fascinating photochromism were endowed by collaborative role of electron-withdrawing effect of BF₂bdk group to reduce HOMO-LUMO electronic gap for the open isomer, together with intramolecular hydrogen bonds and CH-π interactions favoring antiparallel conformation fixation. Moreover, they displayed specific discrimination and photoswitchable bacterial imaging for S. aureus.     

Synthesis and photochromic properties of novel yellow developing photochromic compounds

Two 1-thiazolyl-2-thienylcyclopentene derivatives, 1a and 2a, and a 1-thiazolyl-2-vinylcyclopentene derivative 3a have been synthesized in an attempt to obtain photochromic compounds which change the color from colorless to yellow, and have low photocycloreversion quantum yields and high absorption coefficients of the colored isomers. All of these compounds underwent reversible photochromic reactions. Compounds 1a and 2a in toluene solutions changed the color upon 313 nm light irradiation from colorless to orange and pink, in which absorption maxima were observed at 494 nm (ε=10,000 M⁻¹ cm⁻¹) and 525 nm (ε=8500 M⁻¹ cm⁻¹), respectively. On the other hand, the colorless toluene solution of 3a turned yellow upon irradiation with 313 nm light, in which the absorption maximum was observed at 416 nm (ε=17,100 M⁻¹ cm⁻¹). The photocyclization/cycloreversion quantum yields of 3 were 0.19 and 0.0014, respectively. The conversion from the open- to the closed-ring isomer of 3 in the photostationary state under irradiation with 313 nm light was close to 100%.     

Synthesis and photoreaction mechanism of a novel bifunctional photochromic compound

New functionalized spiroxazine containing azo group has been prepared and its photochromic mechanism has been investigated by laser induced time-resolved techniques.     

One-pot synthesis of novel photochromic oxazine compounds

A one-pot domino synthesis of photochromic 2,2-diarylphenanthro-(9,10)-[2H]-[1,4]-oxazines in excellent yield is described starting with acrylic acid derivatives. The reaction mechanism was studied by ReactIR and UV-vis. The cascade sequence of the reactions involves five transformations, namely, acyl azide formation, Curtius rearrangement, arsonium ylide formation, aza-Wittig, and final cyclization to the title compounds.     

Design,synthesis, photochromism and electrochemistry of a novel material with pendant photochromic units

In the present work, the synthesis, photochromism and electrochemistry of a novel material 1, 1-(4-[3,4-bis(2,5-dimethyl-3-thienyl)cyclopent-3-en-1-yl]phenyl)-2,5-di-2-thienyl-1H-pyrrole, with pendant dithienylethene (DTE) photochromic units are described. It should be noted that the system 1 can be reversibly and efficiently switched between open (1o) and closed (1c) states by light in both solution and in the solid poly(methyl methacrylate) matrix. It is also noteworthy that the two isomers (1o and 1c) of this novel system 1 can be smoothly polymerized on ITO by electrochemical means. Surprisingly, the DTE unit in 1 does not retain its photochemical switching properties after immobilization onto ITO. The morphology of the polymer film was investigated by AFM analysis. Furthermore, it was found that the polymer exhibited remarkable electrochromic features that can be switched from green in the neutral state to violet state under applied external potentials without disturbing the photochromic units.     

Synthesis and photochromism of novel phenylene-linked photochromic bispyrans

[reaction: see text] Phenylene-linked bisnaphthopyrans were synthesized in good yields via the one-pot reaction of bis-propargyl alcohols with naphthols. Temperature-dependent photochromism in 1,4-phenylene-linked bispyrans leads to up to 60 nm bathochromic shift between the colored species formed at room temperature and at -20 degrees C. Better fatigue resistance and higher colorability was observed in 1,4-phenylene-linked bis-[2H]-naphtho[1,2-b]pyrans by comparison to the 1,3-phenylene linked bis-[2H]-naphtho[1,2-b]pyrans.     

A novel photoreversible photochromic system involving a hydrogen transfer/cyclization sequence

A novel photoreversible photochromic system, 3-(2-benzylbenzoyl)-1,2-R,R(1)-4(1H)-quinolinones/12-hydroxy-5-R-5a-R(1)-6-phenyl-5a,6-dihydrobenzo[b]acridin-11(5H)-ones, is described.     

New photochromic diarylethenes with a pyrimidine moiety

A novel class of photochromic diarylethene derivatives based on the hybrid skeleton of six-membered pyrimidine and five-membered thiophene moieties has been firstly synthesized. The substituent effects on their properties, including photochromism, fatigue resistance, and fluorescence, have been systematically investigated. All these diarylethenes showed significant photochromism and notable fluorescence switching properties in both solution and poly(methylmethacrylate) films. The electron-donating substituent enhanced their cyclization quantum yield, fatigue resistance, and fluorescence quantum yield, whereas electron-withdrawing group exhibited contrary effects.     

多功能二噻吩乙烯光致变色光分子开关材料

光致变色材料是一类在不同波长的光交替照射下,产生两种可进行可逆转换的光致异构体并伴随明显的光物理和光化学性能变化的材料。基于其特殊的光致异构性质,人们已开发出多种光致变色功能材料并将其广泛应用于超高密度光信息存储、分子开关、分子逻辑门、分子导线、光电材料、多光子器件、表面/纳米器件、液晶材料、化学传感、生物成像、自组装、聚集诱导发光、光控生物体系等诸多领域。其中,二噻吩乙烯类化合物因其出色的热稳定性、优良的耐疲劳性、快的响应速率、高的转化率和量子产率以及出色的固相反应活性而成为理想的光致变色材料之一。本文主要围绕近期本研究组研究成果着重介绍近几年二噻吩乙烯类化合物从溶液体系到功能化表面体系的研究进展,探讨当前该领域存在的问题并对其前景和发展方向进行展望。     

Modulation of unconventional fluorescence of novel photochromic perimidine spirodimers

Fluorescence modulation by a class of photochromic perimidine spirodimers, which exhibit a characteristic fluorescence associated with their photochromic reactions, has been described. Upon irradiation using 365 nm light, these non-fluorescent spiro molecules undergo a thermally-reversible ring opening at their spiro junction resulting in the generation of strong fluorescence. The fluorescing species is distinctly different from both the stable ring-closed and the ring-opened compounds, though it appears to have been formed from and remains in equilibrium with the photochemically generated ring-opened form. While the fluorescing species possesses a narrow absorption band with its maximum centered at 500 nm, the ring-opened form exhibits a broad absorption across the visible region with two maxima centered at 410 and 650 nm, respectively. After initiating the photochromic reactions in these molecules using 365 nm light, purely photochemically-controlled fluorescence modulation can be carried out using two wavelengths in the visible region, that is, 500 and 700 nm, while the equilibrium concentration of the ring-opened form and the fluorescing species is controlled. Fluorescence modulation is attained also by controlling the ratio of the ring-closed and ring-opened forms by photochemical ring-opening and thermal ring-closing reactions. The study on the effect of substitution of these molecules suggests that by extending the conjugation of the perimidine core in the ring-opened form the molecule is rendered non-fluorescent and hence it can be assumed that the perimidine core forms the fluorescing entity of the molecule.     

A novel gated photochromic reactivity controlled by complexation/dissociation with BF3

A photochemically active dithiazolethene BN was designed and synthesized, exhibiting a specific gated photochromism. That is, the photochromic reactivity of BN is prevented to a great extent by BF(3), showing a "Lock" gate.     

New photochromic diarylethenes with a six-membered aryl unit

A new class of photochromic diarylethenes bearing a six-membered aryl unit has been developed. They underwent reversible cyclization and cycloreversion reactions upon alternating irradiation with UV and visible light both in solution and in PMMA film. However, diarylethenes 1, 2, and 4 showed no photochromism in the crystalline phase although they packed with an anti-parallel conformation and the distances between the two reactive carbon atoms were both less than 4.2 Å.     

Photokinetics of two novel photochromic diarylethenes derived from benzothiophene

Two new unsymmetrically substituted photochromic diarylethenes, namely 3‐[3, 3,4,4,5,5‐hexafluoro‐2‐(2‐methylbenzothien‐3‐yl)cyclopent‐1‐en‐1‐yl]‐2‐methyl‐6‐methoxy‐1‐ benzothiophene and 3‐[3,3,4,4,5,5‐hexafluoro‐2‐(2‐methylbenzothien‐3‐yl)cyclopent‐1‐en‐1‐yl]‐2‐methyl‐6‐methoxy‐7‐nitro‐1‐benzothiophene, were synthesized. Their optical properties and kinetics of cyclization and cycloreversion were determined in four solvents and compared with the symmetrical diarylethene (3,3,4,4,5,5‐hexafluorocyclopent‐1‐en‐1,2‐diyl)bis(2‐methyl‐1‐benzothiophene). While the UV spectra of the three compounds are almost insensitive to solvent changes, the rates of the ring‐opening and ring‐closure reactions exhibit interesting kinetic behavior that differs from other diarylethenes reported in the literature. The cycloreversion for the three compounds follows first‐order kinetics, whereas the cyclization cannot be described by a simple kinetic law. Different approaches were tested, and a complex exponential equation could be derived that fits the experimental data. The unusual presence of two ring‐opened conformational isomers, one of them nonphotochromic, is proposed for the ring‐opened compounds to explain the derived kinetic law and observed solvent effects. These results are of interest in relation to the application of the novel diarylethenes as potential optical materials. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 44: 736–744, 2012     

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.     

Synthesis, structure and photochromic properties of a novel 1,6-hexanediamine trimolybdate supramolecular compound

A novel supramolecular compound 1,6-hexanediamine trimolybdate ((C₆H₁₈N₂)[Mo₃O₁₀], denoted as HDAMo) has been synthesized by a hydrothermal method and its structure has been characterized by elemental analyses, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. This single crystal compound consists of protonated 1,6-hexanediamine (HDA) cations and polyoxometalate [Mo₃O₁₀]²⁻ anions. Its crystal structure belongs to monoclinic system (space group P2₁/n) with a=7.7508(14), b=11.467(2), c=16.167(3) Å, β=92.689(3)°, V=1435.3(5) Å³, Z=4 and D_calc=2.619 g cm⁻³. The final statistics based on F² are GOF=0.980, R₁=0.0261 and wR₂=0.0506 for I>2σ(I). XRD analysis revealed that in the crystal structure of HDAMo, novel infinite [Mo₃O₁₀]²⁻ chains parallel to a axis are made up of distorted MoO₆ octahedra connected by corners and edges. The protonated HDA cations occupy channels formed by [Mo₃O₁₀]²⁻ chains and exhibit strong hydrogen bond interactions to terminal and bridging oxo groups of the chains. The [Mo₃O₁₀]²⁻ chains linked through protonated HAD cations formed a one-dimensional network. The HDAMo compound shows novel photochromic properties, i.e., its color changes from white to reddish brown gradually under UV irradiation. XRD, FT-IR, ESR spectra and XPS are used to investigate the photochromic behavior of the compound.     

Synthesis,photochromic mechanism and properties of a novel biindenylidenedione compound containing ferrocene units

A novel biindenylidenedione compound, [2,2′‐bi‐1H‐indene]‐3,3′‐bis [(4‐oxo‐4‐ferrocenylbutanoyloxy)propyl]‐3,3′‐ dihydroxy‐1,1′‐dione was synthesized and characterized fully by ¹H NMR, IR, MS and elemental analysis. The photochromic and photo‐induced radical properties were investigated by means of UV–vis and electron spin resonance spectroscopy, respectively. The results show that the title compound simultaneously exhibits photochromism in the solid state as well as generating stable free radicals under irradiation with 330 nm light. This fact provides evidence for the photochromic mechanism of this kind of compounds. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Photochromic Dihetarylethenes: XX. Synthesis and Photochromic Properties of Dithienylethenes with a Fixed Conformation

>A procedure was developed for the synthesis of bis(2,5-dimethyl-3-thienyl)ethenes with partially fixed molecular conformation, and their photochromic properties in solution were studied. The structure of photochromic 1-(2,5-dimethyl-3-thienyl)-7,9-dimethyl-5,6-dihydrothieno[3',4' : 3,4]pyrido[1,2-c][1,3]oxazol-3-one, as well as of 1-(2,5-dimethyl-3-thienyl)-7,9-dimethylthieno[3',4' : 3,4]pyrido[1,2-c][1,3]oxazol-3-one possessing no photochromic properties, was determined by X-ray analysis.