Synthesis, crystal structure and optoelectronic properties of a new unsymmetrical photochromic diarylethene

A new unsymmetrical photochromic diarylethene, 1-(2-methyl-5-phenyl-3-thienyl)-2-[2-methyl-5-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)-3-thienyl]perfluorocyclopentene (1a), was synthesized and its structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Its optical and electrochemical properties, including photochromic reactivity both in solution and in the solid state (PMMA film and the single-crystalline phase), fluorescence and electrochemical properties were investigated in detail. The compound showed excellent photochromism even in the single-crystalline phase by photo-irradiation. In acetonitrile, the open-ring isomer of diarylethene 1 exhibited relatively strong fluorescence at 470nm when excited at 300nm, and its emission intensity decreased along with the photochromism upon irradiation with 313nm light. Its closed-ring isomer showed almost no fluorescence. The electrochemical properties of diarylethene were investigated by performing cyclic voltammetry experiment and its HOMO and LUMO energy level were calculated.     

Synthesis, crystal structure and characterization of photochromic 1,2-bis{2-ethyl-5-[2-(1,3-dioxolane)]-3-thienyl}perfluorocyclopentene

A novel photochromic diarylethene, 1,2-bis{2-ethyl-5-[2-(1,3-dioxolane)]-3-thienyl}perfluorocyclopentene (BEDTP), was synthesized and its structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Its photochromic and fluorescent properties were also investigated. The results showed that this compound exhibited reversible photochromism, changing from colorless to magenta after irradiation with UV light both in solution and in the crystalline phase. In hexane solution, the open-ring isomer of BEDTP exhibited relatively strong fluorescence at 400 nm when excited at 282 nm. The fluorescence intensity decreased along with the photochromism upon irradiation with 254 nm light and its closed-ring isomer showed almost no fluorescence.     

A sensitive sensor for Cu(II) based on a novel diarylethene with a bipyridyl moiety

A novel diarylethene with a bipyridyl unit has been designed and synthesized for the first time. Its photochromic behaviors could be modulated by protonation and coordination with Cu(II). The absorption maximum of the closed-ring isomer shifted from 569 to 666 nm when trifluoroacetic acid was added. Furthermore, the closed-ring isomer behaved as a sensitive colorimetric sensor, exhibiting an open-ring reaction upon exposure to Cu(II). Its high selectivity toward Cu(II) over other competitive species makes the ‘naked-eye’ detection of Cu(II) possible.     

Effective photoswitching of intramolecular magnetic interaction by diarylethene: Backgrounds and applications

Diarylethene is a photochromic molecule, which is potentially applicable to various optoelectronic devices. In diarylethenes the π-system of the two aryl rings is separated in the open-ring isomer, while the π-system is delocalized throughout the molecule in the closed-ring isomer. Based on this idea the exchange interaction between two nitronyl nitroxide radicals connected by a diarylethene unit was photocontrolled reversibly along with photochromism. The switching efficiency is more than 150-fold and thiophene spacer transmits the interaction more efficiently. When diarylethene dimer is used for the switching unit, the electric circuit-like behavior was observed. Moreover, reversed switching is achieved by reversing the thiophene ring. Magnetochemical and photochemical behavior of the radical-substituted diarylethene is described extensively.     

Photoswitching of the magnetic interaction between a copper(II) ion and a nitroxide radical by using a photochromic spin coupler

Photoswitching of an intramolecular spin exchange interaction between a copper(II) ion and a nitroxyl radical by using a metal complex of diarylethene has been studied by means of ESR spectroscopy. As a coordination ligand, a diarylethene with a 1,10-phenanthroline ring and nitronyl nitroxide radical was synthesized. Mixing the diarylethene ligand with [Cu(hfac)(2)] (hfac=hexafluoroacetylacetone) in toluene led to a hypsochromic shift of the absorption maxima of the closed-ring isomer due to complexation. ESR measurement in toluene at room temperature of the open-ring isomer of the Cu(II) complex gave a spectrum that is a superposition of the spectra from the nitroxide radical and Cu(II). When the sample was irradiated with 366 nm light, a new peak due to large exchange interaction appeared between those of the nitroxyl radical and Cu(II). This ESR measurement revealed that the magnitude of the spin exchange interaction was changed by more than 160-fold by photoirradiation. This is the largest magnetic photoswitching phenomenon recorded in diarylethene systems.     

Synthesis of a new diarylethene diradical which has extended π-conjugated chains from the 2,5-position of one thiophene ring

A diarylethene diradical having a new switching unit for intramolecular magnetic interaction was synthesized. The photoswitching unit has an extended π-conjugated chain in one aryl unit, and two nitronyl nitroxide radical are placed at both ends of the π-conjugated chain. The diarylethene moiety is located in the middle of the chain. This diarylethene is designed to change the hybrid orbital from sp² to sp³ at the 2-position of the thiophene ring when this diarylethene undergoes a photochromic reaction. But the new diradical compound did not undergo photocyclic reaction upon irradiation with UV light. The photochemical behavior is perturbed by a resonant quinoid structure which stabilizes the open-ring isomer.     

Self-assembly of photochromic diarylethenes with amphiphilic side chains: reversible thermal and photochemical control

Diarylethene derivatives with hexaethylene glycol side chains were synthesized and their self-assembling and photochromic reactivity were investigated. The diarylethenes showed photochromism in organic solvents and even in water. The aqueous solution of the compounds turned turbid quickly upon heating. The clouding behavior was investigated using 1H NMR spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and absorption spectroscopy. It was revealed that, in the aqueous solution, the compounds self-assembled into aggregates, and the aggregates were loosened by raising the temperature. The cloud-point temperature of the closed-ring isomer was 5-7 degrees C lower than that of the open-ring isomer. When asymmetric methyl groups were introduced in the amphiphilic side chains, induced circular dichroism (ICD) was observed upon irradiation with UV light in water. This ICD was explained by the difference in the self-assembling behavior between the open- and the closed-ring isomers. It was suggested that the closed-ring isomers assembled into a chiral nanostructure.     

A proton and optic dual-control molecular switch based on photochromic diarylethene bearing a rhodamine unit

A novel fluorescent switch based on rhodamine B and photochromic diarylethene, 1-[2-methyl-5-(4-methoxylphenyl)-3-thienyl]-2-[2-methyl-5-(4-rhodamine B hydrazine-Schiff base-phenyl)-3-thienyl]perfluorocyclopentene (1), has been successfully synthesized through the condensation of rhodamine B hydrazine and 1-[2-methyl-5-(4-methoxylphenyl)-3-thienyl]-2-[2-methyl-5-(4-formylphenyl)-3-thienyl]perfluorocyclopentene. UV and FL measurements reveal that the compound exhibits good photochromic properties responsive to proton and optic dual inputs. Upon irradiation with 297 nm light, the colorless solution of compound 1 turns blue, while the blue solution becomes colorless after irradiated with visible light (λ>450 nm). Furthermore, upon an addition of H⁺, the fluorescence resonance energy transfers from the rhodamine unit (FRET donor) to the closed-ring diarylethene unit (FRET acceptor), although no energy transfer occurs when the diarylethene is in the open-ring form. The emission intensity of the rhodamine can be modulated with proton and UV/vis light and molecular-level signal communication has been constructed, indicating high potentials of the compound in molecular switches or naked eye recognition systems.     

Photoswitching of an alcohol-sensitive photochromic diarylethene

The closed-ring isomer of diarylethene 1a, 1-(2-methyl-5-(4-N,N-diethylaminophenyl)thien-3-yl)-2-(2-methyl-5-phenylthien-3-yl)perfluorocyclopentene was found to cause the substitution reaction with primary alcohols at room temperature. The open-ring isomer 1a was stable in the alcohols. The product obtained in methanol was isolated by HPLC, and the structure was identified by ¹H NMR, mass spectrometry, and X-ray crystallographic analysis. It was revealed that two fluorine atoms were replaced with methoxy groups. The substitution reaction was also caused with ethylene glycol to form the five-membered ring. Both the products also showed photochromism, and had absorption maxima and photocycloreversion quantum yields different from those of 1a.     

Polarization holographic optical recording based on a new photochromic diarylethene compound

A new unsymmetrical photochromic diarylethene, namely1-[2-methyl-5-(p-N,N-dimethylaminophenyl)-3-thienyl]-2-[2-methyl-5-(3-methoxylphenyl)-3-thienyl] perfluorocyclopentene (1a), was synthesized. The compound showed good photochromism, high sensitivity and remarkable fatigue-resistance both in solution and in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix with UV/Vis light irradiation. The absorption maximum of its closed-ring isomer was observed at 624 nm in PMMA amorphous film. It is a nice match for the wavelength of the recording laser (633 nm). Using this target compound as recording medium, four types of polarization holographic optical recordings were performed successfully using a He-Ne laser. The results showed that only the orthogonal circular polarization recording could obtain a hologram with high diffraction efficiency and high signal-to noise-ratio. With multiplexing recording technology, three types of polarization multiplexing holographic optical recordings, including angular multiplexing, polarization multiplexing, and angular plus polarization multiplexing holographic recording, were also carried out perfectly based on its photoinduced anisotropic phenomenon accompanying the photochromic reaction by photoirradiation. The results demonstrate that the multiplexing recording technology is an effective method to improve recording capacity when using diarylethene 1 as recording medium.     

Geometrical Evolution and Formation of the Photoproduct in the Cycloreversion Reaction of a Diarylethene Derivative Probed by Vibrational Spectroscopy

The geometrical evolution of the reactant and formation of the photoproduct in the cycloreversion reaction of a diarylethene derivative were probed using time-resolved absorption spectroscopies in the visible to near-infrared and mid-infrared regions. The time-domain vibrational data in the visible region show that the initially formed Franck-Condon state is geometrically relaxed into the minimum in the excited state potential energy surface, concomitantly with the low-frequency coherent vibrations. Theoretical calculations indicate that the nuclear displacement in this coherent vibration is nearly parallel to that in the geometrical relaxation. Time-resolved mid-infrared spectroscopy directly detected the formation of the open-ring isomer with the same time constant as the decrease of the closed-ring isomer in the excited state minimum. This observation reveals that no detectable intermediate, in which the population is accumulated, is present between the excited closed-ring isomer and the open-ring isomer in the ground state.     

In situ preparation of highly fluorescent dyes upon photoirradiation

Photoswitchable or photoactivatable fluorescent dyes are potentially applicable to ultrahigh density optical memory media as well as super-resolution fluorescence imaging when the dyes are highly fluorescent and have large absorption coefficients. Here, we report on highly fluorescent photochromic dyes, which are initially nonluminous in solution under irradiation with visible light but activated to emit green or red fluorescence upon irradiation with ultraviolet (UV) light. The dyes 5a-9a are sulfone derivatives of 1,2-bis(2-ethyl-6-phenyl(or thienyl)-1-benzothiophen-3-yl)perfluorocyclopentene. It was found that substitution of phenyl or thiophene rings at 6 and 6' positions of the benzothiophene-1,1-dioxide groups is effective to increase the fluorescence quantum yields of the closed-ring isomers over 0.7 and absorption coefficients over 4 × 10(4) M(-1) cm(-1). The phenyl-substituted derivatives 5a-7a undergo photocyclization reactions to produce yellow closed-ring isomers 5b-7b, which emit brilliant green fluorescence at around 550 nm (Φ(F) = 0.87-0.88) under irradiation with 488 nm light. Any absorption intensity change of the closed-ring isomers was not observed even after 100 h storage in the dark at 80 °C. The closed-ring isomers slowly returned to the initial open-ring isomers upon irradiation with visible (λ > 480 nm) light. The ring-opening quantum yields (Φ(C→O)) were measured to be (1.6-4.0) × 10(-4). When the phenyl substituents are replaced with thiophene rings, such as compounds 8a and 9a, the absorption bands of the closed-ring isomers shift to longer than 500 nm. The closed-ring isomers exhibit brilliant red fluorescences at around 620 nm (Φ(F) = 0.61-0.78) under irradiation with 532 nm light. The ring-opening reactions are very slow (Φ(C→O) < 1 × 10(-5)). The fluorescence lifetimes of these sulfone derivatives were measured to be around 2-3 ns, which is much longer than the value of the closed-ring isomer of 1,2-bis(2-methyl-1-benzothiophen-3-yl)perfluorocyclopentene (τ(F) = 4 and 22 ps). The closed-ring isomer 8b in 1,4-dioxane exhibits excellent fatigue resistant property under irradiation with visible light (λ > 440 nm) superior to the stability of Rhodamine 101 in ethanol.     

Photocontrollable J-aggregation of a diarylethene-phthalocyanine hybrid and its aggregation-stabilized photochromic behavior

The photocontrollable J-aggregation of a diarylethene-phthalocyanine hybrid (T-ZnPc) and its aggregation-stabilized photochromic behavior were investigated by various techniques. T-ZnPc initially exhibited slight J-aggregation tendency in solvents such as chloroform and toluene through conformational planarization effect, but formed much stronger J-aggregates upon the illumination of 254 nm UV light. In darkness, the UV-irradiated solutions gradually returned to their initial state. These phenomena can be explained by the pronounced change in molecular planarity accompanying the reversible isomerization of the diarylethene units of T-ZnPc. Besides, we have found that the thermal stability of the closed-ring diarylethene isomers in molecularly dispersed T-ZnPc is much poorer than that in aggregates. As long as the aggregates were broken, they converted to corresponding open-ring form instantly. This study provided an example of fully photocontrollable aggregation of phthalocyanines and paved a new way for improving the stability of the photochromic systems.     

Reversible photocontrol of surface wettability between hydrophilic and superhydrophobic surfaces on an asymmetric diarylethene solid surface

By alternate UV and visible light irradiation, reversible topographical changes were observed on a newly synthesized diarylethene microcrystalline surface between the rough crystalline surface of an open-ring isomer and flat eutectic surfaces. The contact angle changes of a water droplet between 80° and 150° and peak intensities changes of the open-ring isomer in XRD patterns within 2 h of repeating cycle were observed. The results indicated that reversibly photogenerated rod-shaped crystals on the surface were produced based on the lattice of the open-ring isomer crystals in the subphase.     

Characterization and photophysical properties of sulfur-oxidized diarylethenes

Controlled oxidation of sulfur atoms in benzothiophene rings of a photochromic diarylethene, 1,2-bis(2-methyl-1-benzothiophene-3-yl)perfluorocyclopentene (BTF6) by 3-chloroperbenzoic acid afforded various oxidation products such as BTFO1, BTFO2, and BTFO4. Upon irradiation with UV light, colorless o-BTFO1 and o-BTFO2 turned to red color, whereas colorless o-BTFO4 turned to yellow color. Theoretical calculation was performed to understand the absorption spectra of closed-ring isomers. All of those compounds returned back to their open-ring isomers upon irradiation with visible light. The cyclization conversions of BTFOn (n=1, 2, and 4) at the photostationary state are higher than that of BTF6. Interestingly, in the case of BTFO1, because of the unsymmetrical environment around the sulfoxide subunit in the molecule, the diastereoselective photocyclization was observed in 25% de. In addition, c-BTFO2 and c-BTFO4 also exhibited a marked fatigue resistance and strong fluorescence, respectively. Oxidation state of sulfur atom in a diarylethene can play an important role in determining its photophysical and photochromic properties.     

Photochromism of new unsymmetrical isomeric diarylethenes bearing a pyridine group

A new class of unsymmetrical isomeric diarylethenes bearing a terminal pyridine group was synthesized and their structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The effects of the nitrogen atom position in the pyridine group on their properties including photochromism, acidchromism, and fluorescence were investigated systematically. Among the three isomeric derivatives, the cyclization quantum yield and the absorption maxima of the ortho-substituted diarylethene were the biggest, while the fluorescence quantum yield of the para-substituted diarylethene was the biggest. Furthermore, the three isomeric diarylethenes exhibited multi-addressable switching behaviors by the stimulation of acid/base and light. Addition of trifluoroacetic acid to solutions of these diarylethenes produced the protonated derivatives, which also showed excellent photochromic behaviors, but only the para-substituted diarylethene exhibited a notable color change of solution from crimson to violet. The results revealed that the effects of the nitrogen atom position in the terminal pyridine group played a very important role during the process of photoisomerization for these isomeric diarylethene derivatives.     

New photoswitching unit for magnetic interaction: diarylethene with 2,5-bis(arylethynyl)-3-thienyl group

Photoswitching of the intramolecular magnetic interaction was demonstrated using diarylethenes with 2,5-bis(arylethynyl)-4-methyl-3-thienyl side group. Two nitroxide radicals were placed at each end of the 2,5-bis(arylethynyl)-4-methyl-3-thienyl group. Three kinds of aryl groups, 2,5-thienylene, p-phenylene, and m-phenylene groups, were used in the arylethynyl moiety. The diarylethene photoswitching units have an extended pi-conjugated chain on one side of the diarylethene. The photochromic reactivity was dependent on the arylethynyl group. Diarylethenes with m-phenylene group showed an efficient photochromic reactivity. Along with the photochromic reaction the diarylethenes showed photoswitching of an ESR spectrum originating from the change in the magnetic interaction between two unpaired electrons. The open-ring isomer showed stronger exchange interaction than the photogenerated closed-ring isomer. The magnetic interaction between two radicals via the pi-conjugated chain was altered by photocyclization due to the change of the hybrid orbital at the 2-position of the thiophene ring from sp(2) to sp(3).     

Re-entrant Photoinduced Morphological Transformation and Temperature-Dependent Kinetic Products of a Rectangular Amphiphilic Diarylethene Assembly

An amphiphilic rectangular-shaped photochromic diarylethene bearing two hydrophobic alkyl chains and two hydrophilic tri(ethylene glycol) chains was synthesized, and its photoinduced morphological transformation in water was investigated. Two unexpected phenomena were revealed in the course of the experiments: a re-entrant photoinduced macroscopic morphological transformation and temperature-dependent kinetic products of supramolecular assembly. When the pure closed-ring isomer was dispersed in water, a re-entrant photoinduced morphological transformation, that is, a photoinduced transition from the hydrated phase to the dehydrated phase and then back to the hydrated phase, was observed by optical microscopy upon irradiation with green light at 20 °C; this was interpreted by the V-shaped phase diagram of the LCST transition. The aqueous assembly of the pure closed-ring isomer was controlled by changing the temperature; specifically, rapid cooling to 15 and 5 °C gave J and H aggregates, respectively, as the kinetic products. The thermodynamic product at both temperatures was a mixture of mostly H aggregate with a small amount of J aggregate. This behavior was rationalized by the temperature-dependent potential energy surface of the supramolecular assembly.     

Synthesis and photochromic reactivity of a diarylethene dimer linked by a phenyl group

A diarylethene dimer linked by a phenyl group was synthesized and the photochromic behavior was examined. Upon irradiation with ultraviolet light (λ=313 nm), a hexane solution of the diarylethene dimer (1a) turned purple blue. Upon further prolonged irradiation the color changed to blue. The purple-blue and blue colors are due to the formation of a dimer having one open- and one closed-ring forms (1b) and a dimer having two closed-ring forms (1c), respectively. Both 1b and 1c returned to 1a by irradiation with visible light (λ>500 nm). The photochromic reactivity was evaluated by measuring quantum yields of the photocyclization and photocycloreversion reactions. The photocyclization quantum yield was 0.50. The cycloreversion quantum yield from 1c to 1b (0.0026) was lower than that from 1b to 1a (0.0094).