New photochromic xerogels composites based on nitrosyl complexes

New photoswitchable hybrid materials based on mononitrosyl complexes with excellent optical properties have been obtained by sol–gel process. Inclusion in silica matrix prepared from tetramethoxysilane precursor leads to new materials in which the ruthenium complex [RuCl(NO)py₄](PF₆)₂·1/2H₂O (py = pyridine) is stabilized as crystalline nanoparticles with diameters between 2 and 15 nm. Photochromic properties are maintained and have been evidenced by infrared spectroscopy under irradiation (λ = 473 nm) at low temperature (T = 100 K). The reversible transfer from the ground state (GS) to the metastable state (MS1) is about 40% in the composite, which is close to the value observed on the most studied sodium nitroprusside (50% on pure material).