Tunable Photochromism in the Robust Dithienylethene-Containing Phospholes: Design, Synthesis, Characterization, Electrochemistry, Photophysics, and Photochromic Studies

Synthesis and Characterization of a [1,2,6]Diazaphosphonine Oxide: An Example of a Photoswitchable Phosphorus-Containing Cyclic Azobenzene

We report herein the synthesis and characterization of a phosphorus-containing cyclic azobenzene as a new photoswitchable scaffold. This backbone reveals high bidirectional photoswitching yields and high thermal stability for both isomers, with t1/2 > 90 days at 60 °C. Both E- and Z-isomers have been characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography.

Periphery Modification of Tetrathiafulvalenes: Recent Development and Applications

Tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) and its analogs are fascinating molecules in materials science based on their excellent electron-donating abilities. This personal account describes recent advances in the synthesis of TTF analogs for functional materials via the palladium-catalyzed modification of peripheries of TTF analogs. We first consider three types of molecules: fluorophore-TTF hybrid molecules, multi-redox systems, and an organic ligand for metal-organic frameworks. These molecules were successfully synthesized via Stille coupling or palladium-catalyzed direct C-H arylation and their structural, electrochemical, and optical properties were clarified. Subsequently, phosphorus-substituted TTF analogs were successfully synthesized for future applications of redox-active phosphine ligands for metal catalysts. The development of these molecules can significantly affect the advancement of chemical science.

Dithienylethene-Based Photochromic Siloles: A Straightforward and Divergent Synthetic Strategy

A straightforward synthetic methodology for the preparation of photochromic siloles based on the dithienylethene motif is developed. It relies upon an efficient palladium-catalyzed annulation reaction of a 2,3-bis(3-thienyl)-silirene with terminal alkynes in mild conditions. The reaction is functional group-tolerant and can be performed in high yields with a variety of functional terminal alkynes. It can even be extended to a polymeric polypropargylmethacrylamide (PPMA) substrate affording the corresponding photochromic polymer with different degree of photochromic unit incorporation by simply adjusting the polymer/ silirene stoichiometric ratio.

Synthesis, Photophysical, Photochromic, and Photomodulated Resistive Memory Studies of Dithienylethene-Containing Copper(I) Diimine Complexes

A series of dithienylethene-containing copper(I) diimine complexes have been synthesized and structurally characterized. Systematic studies on their photophysics, electrochemistry, and photochromism have been carried out. The photoinduced color changes of the copper(I) complexes have been achieved by photoexcitation into the metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) absorption bands, indicating the photosensitization of light-induced cyclization by the ³MLCT excited state. In addition, by an increase in either the steric bulkiness around the copper(I) center or the structural rigidity of the complexes, the quantum efficiencies of photoluminescence and photocyclization can be effectively enhanced because of suppression of the flattening distortion of the complexes at the MLCT excited state. Furthermore, one of the complexes has been employed as an active component in the fabrication of solution-processed resistive memory devices. Notable lowering of the switching threshold voltage of the binary memory devices has been realized through photocyclization of the dithienylethene-containing copper(I) system.

Synthesis strategies for non-symmetric, photochromic diarylethenes

Diarylethenes (DAEs) represent an important class of photochromes with notable characteristics, like thermally irreversible photoisomerization and high fatigue resistance. Structural diversification of the DAE scaffold has enabled further refinement of photochromic properties and realization of new applications, ranging from advanced materials to tools for studying biological systems. In particular, methods for synthesizing non-symmetric DAE scaffolds, which are typically more challenging to synthesize than their symmetric counterparts, have grown over the past 20 years. These developments are surveyed in this review, with discussion of how access to these compounds has contributed to the improvement of photochromic properties and paved the way for exploring new applications of DAEs. First, non-symmetric DAE structures are classified and their uses and applications are overviewed. Subsequent sections discuss the main strategies that have been used to access non-symmetric DAEs with examples illustrating the impact of non-symmetric DAEs in the growing field of light-controlled molecular systems.

Synthesis and photochromism of some mono and bis (thienyl) substituted oxathiine 2,2-dioxides

The addition of sulfenes to substituted enaminoketones, followed by a facile Cope elimination, provides access to a novel series of photochromic dithienylethenes containing a 1,2-oxathiine 2,2-dioxide core.

Supramolecular Assembly of Phosphole Oxide Based Alkynylplatinum(II) 2,6-Bis(N-alkylbenzimidazol-2'-yl)pyridine Complexes-An Interplay of Hydrophobicity and Aromatic π-Surfaces

A new class of phosphole oxide based alkynylplatinum(II) 2,6-bis(N-alkylbenzimidazol-2'-yl)pyridine (bzimpy) complexes were synthesized and characterized. Their self-assembly was driven by hydrophobic-hydrophobic and π-π stacking interactions. The self-assembly properties were also investigated by UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy, which revealed that the alkyl-chain length of the bzimpy moiety and the π-surface area of the alkynyl ligand have significant influence on the overall self-assembly process. The alkyl-chain length also affected the morphological structures of the aggregates, which were studied by transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.

Gated photochromic molecules with AIEgen: turn-on the photochromism with an oxidation reagent

Gated photochromic molecule: switchable photochromic materials with AIEgen were achieved. Oxidation reagents act as gates to switch the photochromic properties.

Photochromic benzo[b]phosphole oxide with excellent thermal irreversibility and fatigue resistance in the thin film solid state via direct attachment of dithienyl units to the weakly aromatic heterocycle

A novel photochromic benzo[b]phosphole oxide has been demonstrated to display photochromic properties with excellent fatigue resistance and thermal irreversibility in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) thin film under ambient conditions. The remarkable photochromic behaviour can be achieved by rational molecular design, in which the weakly aromatic phosphole oxide is directly incorporated into the photo-responsive dithienylethene units. Photopatterning via photoinduced colouration and decolouration has been performed to demonstrate the repeatable and distinct transformation between the bistable states, making it a promising candidate with photoswitching properties for optoelectronic applications.

Ambipolar Phosphine Derivatives to Attain True Blue OLEDs with 6.5% EQE

A family of new branched phosphine derivatives {Ph2N-(C6H4)n-}3P → E (E = O 1-3, n = 1-3; E = S 4-6, n = 1-3; E = Se 7-9, n = 1-3; E = AuC6F5 4-6, n = 1-3), which are the donor-acceptor type molecules, exhibit efficient deep blue room temperature fluorescence (λem = 403-483 nm in CH2Cl2 solution, λem = 400-469 nm in the solid state). Fine tuning the emission characteristics can be achieved varying the length of aromatic oligophenylene bridge -(C6H4)n-. The pyramidal geometry of central R3P → E fragment on the one hand disrupts π-conjugation between the branches to preserve blue luminescence and high triplet energy, while on the other hand provides amorphous materials to prevent excimer formation and fluorescence self-quenching. Hence, compounds 2, 3, 5, and 12 were used as emitters to fabricate nondoped and doped electroluminescent devices. The luminophore 2 (E = O, n = 2) demonstrates excellently balanced bipolar charge transport and good nondoped device performance with a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQEmax) of 3.3% at 250 cd/m(2) and Commission International de L'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.15, 0.08). The doped device of 3 (E = O, n = 3) shows higher efficiency (EQEmax of 6.5, 6.0 at 100 cd/m(2)) and high color purity with CIE (0.15, 0.06) that matches the HDTV standard blue. The time-resolved electroluminescence measurement indicates that high efficiency of the device can be attributed to the triplet-triplet annihilation to enhance generation of singlet excitons.

Stimuli-responsive chromism in organophosphorus chemistry

The last five years have seen a huge advance in organophosphorus chemistry with respect to compounds with strong chromic responses to external stimuli. This Frontier article briefly summarizes these trends in order to especially highlight the broad versatility of phosphole-based scaffolds in chromic materials.

Phosphorus and silicon-bridged stilbenes: synthesis and optoelectronic properties

Blue light-emitting phosphorus and silicon-bridged stilbenes have been synthesized and characterized.

Stereoselective photoreaction in P-stereogenic dithiazolylbenzo[b]phosphole chalcogenides

The diastereoselective photoreaction of dithiazolylbenzo[b]phosphole chalcogenides was achieved by means of the conformational control of the photoprecursor state by intramolecular interactions involving the stereogenic phosphorus.