Synthesis and Photochromism Studies of 1,2-bis[2-methyl-5-(4-bromomethylphenyl)-3-thienyl] Perfluorocyclopentene

Abstract

A symmetrical photochromic diarylethene was synthesized, and its optoelectronic properties were also investigated. The results showed that this compound exhibited reversible photochromism, changing from colorless to blue after irradiation with UV light in solution. The open-ring isomer of the diarylethene 1o exhibited relatively strong fluorescence at 477 nm in acetonitrile solution (2×10-5 mol L-1) when excited at 325 nm. The fluorescence intensity decreased along with the photochromism upon irradiation with 297 nm light. What is more, the kinetic experiments illustrated that the cyclization/cycloreversion process of this compound was determined to be the zeroth/first reaction. In addition, the results demonstrated that the diarylethene 1o had remarkable photochromic properties.