Synthesis and photoinduced coloration of ferric bipyridine complex linked viologen units in a polymer matrix

A ferric bipyridine complex linked viologen unit was synthesized and its photoinduced coloration properties were investigated in a thin poly(vinyl alcohol) film. The colorless‐to‐color change of the film occurs upon irradiation, associated with the intramolecular electron transfer from the photoreduced viologen to the colorless ferric bipyridine complex.