Synthesis and Properties of Dipyridylcyclopentenes

ABSTRACT

A short and general route to the substituted dipyridylcyclopentenes was explored and several new compounds belonging to this new group of diarylethenes were synthesized. The study of their photochromic and thermochromic properties shows that the rate of the thermal ring opening is strongly dependent on the polarity of the solvent.

Keywords:

• diarylethene
• photochromism
• thermochromism

Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge a research grant from the Material Science Center (MSC +) and the Zeon corporation for a gift of octafluorocyclopentene.