Switchable Fluorescent and Solvatochromic Molecular Probes Based on 4‐Amino‐N‐methylphthalimide and a Photochromic Diarylethene (Eur. J. Org. Chem. 15/2008)

Abstract

AbstractThe cover picture is misleading! the light‐induced changes of a newly designed photochromic, fluorescent, and solvatochromic compound. The open isomer (top) is colorless and fluorescent. Its emission changes from blue to yellow‐green with increasing polarity of the solvent (in the picture: cyclohexane, tetrachloromethane, benzene, toluene, xylene, and dioxane, from left to right). The closed isomer (bottom) is blue and nonemissive (for clarity, the picture was taken with some amount of the open isomer remaining). UV and visible (green) light interconverts both isomers. As a result, the dye provides multiple readout signals: color changes, on/off switching of the fluorescence signal, and the color of the emission that can be used to sense changes in the polarity of the microenvironment. Detailed synthesis and properties are reported in the article by M. L. Bossi et al. on p. 2531 f. Irene B?ttcher‐Gajewski (MPI for Biophysical Chemistry) is acknowledged for the photographical content of the cover picture.