Synthesis and Properties of a Novel Unsymmetrical Diarylethene{1-[2-methyl-5-(10-phenanthrenyl)-3-thienyl]-2-{2-methyl-5-[4-(2-(1,3-dioxolane))phenyl]-3-thienyl}} Perfluorocyclopentene

Abstract

A novel unsymmetrical isomeric photochromic diarylethene based on phenanthrene unit, {1-[2-methyl-5-(10-phenanthrenyl)-3-thienyl]-2-{2-methyl-5-[4-(2-(1,3-dioxolane)) phenyl]-3-thienyl}} perfluorocyclopentene (1o), was designed and synthesized. Its properties were investigated in detail, including photochromic, kinetics and fluorescent. The results showed that the compound exhibited excellent photochromism, changing from colorless to violet after irradiation with UV light in solution. What is more, the kinetic experiments illustrated that the cyclization/cycloreversion process of this compound was determined to be the zeroth/first reaction. Furthermore, the fluorescence intensity of the photochromic diarylethene1odeclined dramatically.