Synthesis and photochromic properties of polymers containing spirooxazine groups

Two spirooxazine (SO) compounds containing bromobutyl substituents on 1-position (SO1) and 9′- position (SO2) have been synthesized and characterized by 1H-NMR, IR and ESI-MS in this paper. SO1-g-PMMA and SO2-g-PMMA polymer were prepared by grafting SO1 and SO2 onto PMMA through C-Br bonding sites. Also, SOs were doped into PMMA matrix to afford SO1-d-PMMA and SO2-d-PMMA. Photochromic behaviors of these compounds have been studied. Compared with SO1, SO2 exhibited better photoresponse and slower bleaching in dichloromethane solution. Inserted into polymer films, the decoloration process of SOs were significantly retarded and it was found that the fading curves fitted a first-order equation; As regard to four polymers, 1-position grafting (SO2-g-PMMA) can cause a higher reduction degree on the thermal fading rate.     

Nanoarchitecture self-assembly and photochromic studies of 2,2-diarylnaphthopyrans

The synthesis and photochromic properties of novel 2,2-diarylnaphthopyrans were described. Significantly, the nanostructured architecture through two-component self-assembly of a photochromic naphthopyran and an asymmetric biphenyl was determined by X-ray diffraction. The structure motifs of nanocavities were formed by Cl?O interactions and Ar-H?Cl hydrogen bonds among the photochromic naphthopyran molecules. It was further shown by TEM that the dimensions of cavity structures were up to nanometer level, which provides the potential to capture useful nanoscale entities and control photochromism in organic materials.     

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.     

CdS and Cd carboxylate nanoclusters dispersed in polymer matrix produced by a freeze drying method

Cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoclusters were prepared by a freeze drying method from two types of cadmium carboxylates. One was cadmium methacrylates that were part of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) ionomer. The other was cadmium acetates that were dispersed in PMMA. X-ray diffraction was mainly used to study the formation and the size of nanoclusters. The size of CdS made from the ionomer was 0.9 nm, whereas that from the composite of cadmium acetate and PMMA was 2 nm. This was consistent with the size difference of the precursors of CdS: i.e., Cd carboxylate nanoclusters (ionic aggregates) were smaller in the ionomer than in the PMMA mixture, because ionic groups in the ionomer were constrained due to their connectivity to backbone chains and thus forming smaller ionic aggregates. Once stabilized, however, CdS nanocluster sizes were unchanged despite thermal treatments at up to 220 °C for 24 h for both systems. Structural transformations from a freeze dried cadmium carboxylate powder, to a CdS-containing powder, and to a heat-treated CdS-containing sample are speculated for both types of systems.     

Interactions between polypropylene and photochromic dyestuffs

Polypropylene that contains photochromic dyestuffs ages faster than pure polypropylene. This influence strongly depends on the dyestuff type. Chemiluminescence measurements can be used as an indicator for the ageing of polypropylene and for researching the photochromic degradation.     

Sonochemical preparation of photochromic nanocomposite thin film based on polyoxometalates well dispersed in polyacrylamide

Novel photochromic nanocomposite thin film containing phosphotungstic acid entrapped in polyacrylamide was prepared using ultrasound technique. TEM image revealed that the polyoxometalates nanoparticles with narrow size distribution were finely dispersed in polymer matrix. IR spectra showed that the Keggin geometry of polyoxometalates was still preserved inside the composite film and strong Coulombic interaction was built between heteropolyoxometalates and polyacrylamide via hydrogen bond. It was found that the thermal stability of the hybrid film was lower than that of pure polymer but the film was stable enough for photochromic application from the TG-DTA curves. The transparent film changed from colorless to blue under UV irradiation and showed reversible photochromism. The bleaching process occurred when the film was in contact with air or O₂ in the dark. The photoreduced process was in accordance with radical mechanism.     

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 photochromic properties of a dithia-dithienylethenophane

The thermally irreversible photochromic compound dithia-dithienylethenophane was synthesized, which is the first example of a dithienylethene bridged with benzene ring and due to the fixation to the photoactive anti-conformation the quantum yield for the photocyclization reaction became higher than that of the corresponding nonbridged type dithienylethene.     

Syntheses and optoelectronic properties of four photochromic dithienylethenes

Four photochromic dithienylethene compounds, 1,2-bis(2-methyl-5-naphthalene-3-thienyl)perfluorocyclopentene 1a, 1,2-bis[2-methyl-5(p-fluorophenyl)-3-thienyl]perfluorocyclopentene 2a, 1,2-bis[2-methyl-5(p-ethoxyphenyl)-3-thienyl]perfluorocyclopentene 3a, and 1,2-bis[2-methyl-5(p-N,N-dimethylaminophenyl)-3-thienyl]perfluorocyclopentene 4a were synthesized, and their optoelectronic properties, such as photochromism in solution as well as in poly-methylmethacrylate (PMMA) amorphous films, fluorescences and electrochemical properties were investigated in detail. These dithienylethenes have shown good photochromic behavior both in solution and in PMMA amorphous film. All of them exhibited relatively strong fluorescence and gave a bathochromic shift upon increasing concentration in THF. The irreversible anodic oxidation of 1a, 2a and 4a was observed by performing cyclic voltammetry experiments.     

Synthesis and photochromic properties of substituted naphthopyran compounds

A group of 3,3-diaryl-3H-naphtho[2,1-b]pyran compounds with functional substituents at the 5- and 6-positions of the naphthopyran skeleton and the para positions at the 3-aryl moieties were prepared through condensation reactions between 2-naphthol derivatives and 1,1-diarylprop-2-yn-1-ol derivatives. The chemical structures of the compounds were confirmed by NMR and MS. The crystal structure of 3,3-diphenyl-6-morpholino-3H-naphtho[2,1-b]pyran (4b) was determined and the relationship between the pyran substructure and photochromism was discussed. The photochromic properties were studied as well, and decoloration kinetics of colored forms was fitted to the biexponential model. Among these compounds, 4b was considered to be the best one due to the large ΔOD of colored form, which is one of the most important properties used in the photochromic material.     

Synthesis and characterisation of polymerisable photochromic spiropyrans: towards photomechanical biomaterials

A methodology for the synthesis of novel polymerisable spiropyrans with photomechanical properties suitable for subsequent copolymerisation with either vinyl or acrylate-based biomaterials is described. UV-vis spectroscopic characterisation of photoisomerism shows that photochromic behaviour with respect to related non-polymerisable compounds is retained and is solvent dependent. In acetone, conventional spiropyran-merocyanine photochromism is observed for nitro-spiropyran derivatives, whereas in dichloromethane both nitro-spiropyrans and spiropyrans isomerise to merocyanines which rapidly form H-aggregates. The monomers were designed such that an alkyl spacer of variable length, both electronically and sterically, separates the polymerisable moiety from the photochromic core and allows steric aspects of the resulting photomechanical behaviour to be explored.     

Carbazole N-substituent effect upon DTMA: stabilizing and photochromic modulating

Dithienylmaleimide derivatives 7–27 were synthesized by introducing N-substituted carbazole for photo-stabilizing purpose, and the structures were fully confirmed. The photochromism and photo-stability were recorded via UV–vis spectra. Only ortho compounds 8–17 with N-substituents on carbazole moiety showed escalated photochromic change, while compound 7 and the para counterparts 18–27 showed no appreciable photochromism. Additionally, compounds 8–18 exhibited good photo-stability except 17 under 254 nm irradiation. The unstability of 17 may probably due to overrunning hindrance. These photochromic patterns indicated that hindrance and electronic effect mutually paid a decisive influence on the photochromism and photo-stability, which potentially exploited a new way to construct novel photochromic materials with regulable and conceivable performance.     

Substituent effects on the properties of photochromic diarylethenes

Photochromic symmetrical diarylethenes 1o-5o bearing different electron-donating or electron-withdrawing substitutents have been synthesized, and the structures of 1o, 2o, 4o, and 5o were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Substitutent effects on their optoelectronic properties, including photochromism, fluorescence, and electrochemical properties were investigated in detail. The electron-withdrawing substituents can shift significantly the absorption maxima of the diarylethenes to a longer wavelength and increase their cyclization quantum yield, while the molar absorption coefficients increased with an increasing electron-donating ability. Diarylethenes 1, 2, and 4 show good photochromism both in solution and in the single crystalline phase; however, diarylethenes 5 show no photochromism in the crystalline phase because the distance between the reactive carbons become larger than 4.2 Å. Diarylethenes 1-3 exhibited good fluorescent switching upon alternating irradiation with UV and visible light, and their fluorescent conversions in the photostationary state were all larger than 80% in hexane. In addition, cyclic voltammetry tests showed that different electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents had a remarkable effect on the electrochemical behaviors of these diarylethenes.     

Colour switching with photochromic vinylidene-naphthofurans

A series of novel photochromic vinylidene-naphthofurans with extended conjugation, and a free hydroxyl function, were easily prepared using the Suzuki reaction. After silanization, these dyes were embedded in ormosil matrices affording solid and transparent materials that acquire different colourations (violet, green, bluish), reversibly, when exposed to the UV (Sun) light, for 2?min, at room temperature. The presence of an extra phenyl ring in some positions affects both the λ_max of absorption of the photochromic compounds in the uncoloured closed and open coloured form. After removal of the light source the materials lose progressively their colouration returning to the initial uncoloured state in less than 15?min?at room temperature.     

5-Hydroxy substituted naphthofurans and naphthothiazoles as precursors of photochromic benzochromenes

3-Benzoylnaphtho[1,2-b]furan-5-ol forms a photochromic benzochromene upon reaction with a 1,1-diarylprop-2-yn-1-ol affording a red coloured photomerocyanine, with a half-life of 2.3 min, upon UV-irradiation. Retention of the initial 1,4-oxygenation pattern of the naphthalene moiety through replacement of the furan unit with a methoxy group led to a benzochromene, which developed a similar red colour upon UV-irradiation but was more persistent with a half-life of over 42 min. Treatment of the 3-benzoylnaphtho[1,2-b]furan-5-ol with a 1,1,3-triarylprop-2-yn-1-ol similarly afforded a benzochromene, which did not display any photochromism at ambient temperature as a consequence of steric interactions in the photomerocyanines. The synthesis of N-(5-hydroxynaphtho[1,2-d]thiazol-2-yl)acetamide, as a precursor to a photochromic hetero-fused benzochromene, by the mild selective deprotection of the O-acetyl group of 2-acetamidonaphtho[1,2-d]thiazol-5-yl acetate was complicated by a facile, competitive, oxidative dimerisation to afford a novel [2,2′-binaphthothiazole]-1,1′-diol.     

Synthesis, characterization and photochromic studies in film of heterocycle-containing spirooxazines

A series of novel heterocycle-containing spirooxazines have been designed and synthesized, and their photochromic properties were investigated under flash photolysis and continuous irradiation in particular regard to the fatigue resistance, the lifetime of the colored merocyanine form in various solutions and polymers. Especially, the characteristics of two UV-sensitive spirooxazines dispersed polymethylmethacrylate thin-films were extensively studied. Detailed studies showed that general significant shifts in the λ_max of the absorption spectra of the open forms, interesting fatigue resistances and emission fluorescene properties were observed.     

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.     

Synthesis and photochromic properties of quinoxalino[e]-annelated dimethyldihydropyrene with planar chirality

9,10-Diacetyl-2,7-di-tert-butyl-trans-10b,10c-dimethyl-10b,10c-dihydropyrene annelated with a quinoxaline unit (q-DM-DHP, 3) was prepared from 5,13-di-tert-butyl-8,16-dimethyl[2.2]metacyclophane-1,2,9,10-tetraoxide (2) and o-phenylenediamine in two steps. The photochromic isomers of q-DM-DHP 3, closed form 3a and open form 3b, were separated by reverse-phase HPLC, and their isolated UV–visible spectra were estimated. The chiral HPLC analyses of q-DM-DHP 3 indicated their planar chirality, and their CD spectra were measured. The photochromic properties and thermodynamic properties of 3 were also discussed based on their UV–visible, ¹H NMR, CD, and fluorescence spectra.