Photochromism of dihydroindolizines: part XIV. Synthesis and photophysical behavior of photochromic dihydroindolizine-tripodal linkers toward anchoring sensitizers to semiconductor nanoparticles

Abstract

Photochromic dihydroindolizines (DHIs) 4a,5-dihydropyrrolo[1,2-b]pyridazine based tripodal-linker systems with adamantane core and ethyl benzoate tripods as anchoring groups have been successfully synthesized. In addition, new spirocyclopropene precursors have been prepared through both chemical and photochemical processes. The photochromic properties of the newly synthesized DHIs derivatives have been optimized and fine-tuned by the incorporation of various substituents on the fluorene (region A) and pyridazine (region C) moieties. Several alternative routes for the synthesis of the DHIs under investigation have been established. The Sonogashira crosscoupling reaction was utilized for fragment coupling between DHIs and the phenylacetylene tether of the adamantane core. Several reaction conditions of this key reaction were surveyed to obtain optimal yields of a new series of coupling products targeted for anchoring to semiconductor nanoparticles. The chemical structures of the newly synthesized materials were elucidated by both analytical and spectroscopic tools. Irradiation of the photochromic DHIs with polychromatic light resulted in ring opened colored betaines which underwent cycloreversion reactions via thermal 1,5-electrocyclization processes. The kinetic of the thermal 1,5-electrocyclization was studied by using a UV/VIS/NIR spectrophotometer. The kinetic measurements showed the half-lives of the colored betaines to be in the second domain. A pronounced increase in the half-lives of betaines bearing dimethyl-substituted pyridazine was noted compared with non-substituted pyridazine betaines. A strong effect of solvent polarity on the λmax and half-lives of the betaines was observed. The further adjustment of the absorption maxima and the kinetic properties via the manipulation of substituents on the fluorene (region A) and pyridazine moieties (region C) should yield more refined systems for application as supports onto metal-oxide surfaces which remains an active area of our ongoing research. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.