Synthesis and Photochromic Properties of Diarylethene 1â€[2†methylâ€5â€phenylâ€3â€thienyl]â€2â€[2â€methylâ€5â€(3â€fluoroâ€4â€chloro) phenylâ€3â€thienyl]perfluorocyclopentene

Abstract

A novel unsymmetrical photochromic diarylethene, 1â€[2â€methylâ€5â€phenylâ€3†thienyl]â€2â€[2â€methylâ€5â€(3â€fluoroâ€4â€chloro)phenylâ€3â€thienyl]perfluorocycloâ€pentene, was designed and constructed successfully. Its photochemical properties, including photochromic, fluorescence behavior and kinetics, have been investigated systematically. The results indicated that its photochromic behavior could be modulated by UV/V is light, changing from colorless to blue in hexane. What is more, the kinetic experiments illustrated that the cyclization/ cycloreversion process of this diarylethene were determined to be the zeroth/first reaction.