Research on Photochromic Compounds with Synthesis and Photochromism of 1-(2-methyl-3-benzofuryl)-2-{2-methyl-5-[4-formyloxyethyl (Rhodamine-B)] phenyl-3-thienyl} Perfluoroyclopentene

Abstract

A new photochromic diarylethene compound bearing a rhodamine B unit, 1-(2-methyl-3-benzofuryl)-2-{2-methyl-5-[4-formyloxyethyl (rhodamine-B)] phenyl-3-thienyl} perfluorocyclopentene (1o) was synthesized, and its photochromic properties such as photochromism in solution as well as in a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) amorphous film were investigated specfically. 1o exhibits good photochromism upon alternating irradiation with UV light and visible light (> 510 nm) in hexane and a PMMA film. The kinetic experiments showed that the cyclization and cycloreversion processes were zeroth and first order reaction, respectively.