Crown-containing spirooxazines and spiropyrans

Methods for the synthesis of new spironaphthooxazines containing an aza-15-crown-5 fragment in two different positions (5′ and 9′) were developed. The spectral and photochemical properties of these compounds suggest that two competitive complexation processes occur with alkaline-earth or rare-earth metal cations differing in efficiency and selectivity. A metal cation occupies the optimum position in the crown-ether cavity with respect to the donor oxygen atom of the merocyanine form of the dye and thus can affect more strongly its spectral and photochemical properties than in the case of intermolecular interaction. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 1974–1983, October, 1999.     

Crown-containing spironaphthoxazines and spiropyrans. 2. Influence of metal cations on the photochromic properties of spironaphthoxazines linked with aza-15(18)-crown-5(6) ethers

Spironaphthoxazines linked with aza-15(18)-crown-5(6) fragments were synthesized and studied for the first time. Addition of alkaline-earth cations to solutions of crown-containing spironaphthoxazines causes a hypsochromic shift of the absorption band of the spiro form and a bathochromic shift of the absorption band of the merocyanine form, shifts the equilibrium to the merocyanine form, and changes the lifetime of the photoexcited merocyanine form. The spectral and kinetic data were used to propose a mechanism of complexation and calculate the stability constants of the resulting complexes. The complexation involves the crown fragment and the merocyanine oxygen atom. The type of the complex is determined by the cation nature and size.     

Enhancement of the Photochromic Performance of Spirooxazine in Sol-Gel Derived Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Matrices by Additives

Organic-inorganic hybrid materials synthesized via sol-gel processing are excellent solid matrices for photochromic dyes like spirooxazine, and the photochromic performance can be further enhanced by introducing suitable additives. This work describes the effects of additives on the photochromic intensity (ΔA ₀), decolouration rate (k) and photostability of spirooxazine in sol-gel derived organic-inorganic hybrid matrices. They include fluoroalkylsilane (FAS), bisphenolA (BPA) and methyl-imidazole (MI). FAS enhances both ΔA ₀ and photostability, but has little effect onk. The higher the content of BPA, the higher the ΔA ₀ and the higher the photostability, but the lower thek. The effect of MI on ΔA ₀ andk is not so considerable as that of BPA and is a little complicated, while significant improvement in photostability is achieved by the addition of MI at an optimum concentration with the presence of BPA at a higher content.     

Photochromic Coatings Containing Ag(Cl1−xBrx) Microcrystals

Photochromic ormosil coatings containing Ag(Cl_1–x Br _x ) microcrystals were formed on a glass substrate via the sol-gel process. Methyltrimethoxysilane and 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane were used as starting materials of the ormosil matrices. 3-chloropropyltrimethoxysilane and bromophenyltrimethoxysilane were added as halogen sources and silver colloidal dispersion was introduced into the precursor sol. The coated glass became transparent and photosensitive after Ag(Cl_1–x Br _x ) microcrystals were precipitated in the coatings above 300°C. Insertion of a SiO₂ buffer layer between the substrate and photochromic layer was effective in preventing Ag⁺ migration into the substrate. Photochromic performances were improved by the substitution of Cl with Br and the incorporation of a minute amount of Cu.     

Photo- and thermochromic spiropyrans. 21. 8"-Formyl-3,6"-dimethyl-4-oxospiro(3,4-dihydro-2H-1,3-benzoxazine-2,2"-[2H ]chromene) possessing photochromic properties in the solid phase

Spiropyran of the chromene series, viz., 8"-formyl-3,6"-dimethyl-4-oxospiro(3,4-dihydro-2H-1,3-benzoxazine-2,2"-[2H]chromene), was synthesized. In the solid phase, this compound exhibits photochromic properties. These properties were examined and the crystal structure of the compound was established by X-ray diffraction analysis. The compound is a convenient starting reagent for the synthesis of new spiropyrans containing functional groups at position 8".     

光致变色液晶聚合物的光致再取向性能研究进展

光致变色分子经掺杂或键合作用嵌在液晶聚合物中可形成光致变色液晶聚合物,在线性偏振光或非偏振光的照射下,此物质中光致变色分子的构型变化会引起整个液晶分子的二维或三维光致再取向的形成,本文综述了光致变色液晶聚合物的光致再取向的近期研究进展.     

Photochromism of indoline spiropyrans of the coumarin series in polymeric matrices

The photochromic properties and aggregation processes of merocyanine forms of indoline spiropyrans of the coumarin series in the block and film poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were studied and compared by spectral and kinetic methods. Photochromism of the synthesized compounds depends on their structure. The efficient formation of J-aggregates was observed for indoline spiropyrans of the coumarin series based on 8-formyl-7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin and 3-formyl-4-hydroxycoumarin. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 5, pp. 870–875, May, 2007.     

Photochromic Doped Sol-Gel Materials for Fiber-Optic Devices

Photochromic-doped sol-gel materials have been prepared by adding a spiropyran photochromic dye to a solution of ethoxy silane monomers containing non-reacting ethyl radicals. After polymerization, normal photochromism (i.e., colored material upon UV irradiation) is obtained in the resulting matrix. The sol-gel matrix hinders the organic molecule rotations, thus giving two stable states, which can be reversibly switched by UV and green-blue irradiation respectively.If these materials are attached to optical fibers, the properties of the light throughput may be modified. Simple fiber-optic/photochromic devices made of two optical fibers placed in a V-groove removable connector have been prepared. Once cured, these devices behave as optically addressed variable delay generators. The same devices can be used for preparing simple optical switches and routing systems.     

Photochromic properties of the bichromophore spirooxazine and its complexes with metal cations

The properties of a bichromophore photochromic spirooxazine with a hydroxynaphthylideneimine fragment in position 8 were studied in solutions in the presence of alkali and alkaline earth metal salts. The changes in the absorption spectra of the initial form of this compound upon complexation are due to the electron density redistribution in the conjugation chain due to the incorporation of the metal cation into the ionophoric center of the chelating molecule. A complexation scheme was proposed and the stability constants of the resulting complexes were estimated. The complexation of the photoinduced merocyanine form of the compound increases its lifetime. This process is due to the interaction of the metal ion with both the chelating ionophoric center and the oxygen atom of the mercocyanine form. The efficiency of complexation of both the initial and the merocyanine forms depends on the electrostatic properties of the metal cations. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1434–1437, June, 2005.