Synthesis and Characterization of Nonsymmetric Cyclopentene-Based Dithienylethenes

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.

Photorearrangement of dihetarylethenes as a tool for the benzannulation of heterocycles

A general strategy for the preparative benzannulation of aromatic heterocycles via photocyclization of 1,2-dihetarylethenes was proposed for the first time. The strategy includes two steps, namely, modular assembly of dihetarylethenes from widely available 3-hetarylacetic acids and 2-bromo-1-hetarylethanones, and subsequent preparative photorearrangement (using a UV lamp at 365 nm as the light source). This approach is efficient for the annulation of a wide range of heterocycles and provides C-, N-, O- or S-substituents in the benzoheterocycles obtained. The photochemical step is a metal-, acid-, and oxidant-free reaction, which requires non-inert conditions, and can be easily monitored by NMR spectroscopy. Applicability of the proposed strategy was tested in the synthesis of a wide range of substituted carbazoles and benzo[b]thiophenes as well as on a gram-scale benzannulation of 3-indoleacetic acid. Our study disclosed how to overcome two notable obstacles to the successful photorearrangement of dihetarylethenes: undesired reactions associated with photogenerated singlet oxygen, and the instability of desired products. The first problem was successfully solved by the addition of DABCO, while development of an in situ alkylation protocol to trap unstable photoproducts allowed us to overcome the second issue.

Synthesis of functionalized cyclopentenes through allenic ketone-based multicomponent reactions

A novel and efficient synthesis of diversely functionalized cyclopentene derivatives through the multicomponent reactions of 1,2-allenic ketones with 4-chloroacetoacetate and malononitrile/cyanoacetate under mild and metal-free conditions is presented. Mechanistically, the formation of title compounds involves a cascade process including nucleophilic substitution, Michael addition and intramolecular aldol type reaction. Interestingly, when 1-phenyl allenic ketones bearing electron-donating groups on the phenyl ring were reacted with 4-chloroacetoacetate and cyanoacetate, methylenecyclo-pentanes, the regioisomer of cyclopentenes, were formed with good selectivity and high efficiency.

Why Are Dithienylethene-Linked Biscobaltocenes so Hard to Photoswitch?

Attaching an organometallic unit to a dithienylethene (DTE) molecular switch can allow one to vary its switching and spectroscopic properties, and to create switchable magnetic properties. In this work, two different dithienylethene molecular switches are used as a bridge between two cobalt sandwich units. The only difference between the switching cores is in the size of the cycloalkene ring connecting both thiophene rings. The complexes present different oxidation states for the cobalt atoms, which are demonstrated to determine the switching reaction. The UV/Vis measurements show that while the Co(I) complexes undergo the switching reaction, the Co(II,III) complexes switch poorly. Kohn-Sham density functional theory calculations indicate diabatic ring-closure mechanisms and a large number of excited states hindering the cyclization reaction and favoring the relaxation to the open form of the molecular switch.

Bisthienylethene Th2im and its complex (Th2imH)2[ReCl6]: crystalline-phase photochromism, and photochemical regulation of luminescence and magnetic properties

Molecular assembly of bisthienylethene Th2im (1) and [ReCl6]2− anions leads to the complex (Th2imH)2[ReCl6] (2), in which a [ReCl6]2(-) anion connects two equivalent Th2imH+ cations through Cl⋯N/C hydrogen bonds. Crystal structures of 1 and 2 indicate that two thiophene groups of each Th2im/Th2imH+ molecule adopt a photoactive antiparallel conformation. Thus, two compounds show crystalline-phase photochromism (CPP), i.e. reversible structural transformation between the open form and the closed form upon alternately irradiating the sample with UV light (365 nm) and visible light (574 nm for 1, 624 nm for 2). It was found that the CPP behaviors of 1 and 2 could regulate their luminescence and/or magnetic properties. Their solid-state emissions (433, 448, 482, 531 and 570 nm for 1, and 460, 489, 535 and 593 nm for 2) exhibited weaker intensities after UV irradiation with 365 nm light. Besides CPP and luminescence, compound 2 shows field-induced slow magnetic relaxation. Before and after UV irradiation, this compound revealed different magnetic behaviors, including the differences in the shape of the χMT vs. T plot, D parameter, and the values of the relaxation barrier Ueff and the preexponential factor τ0.

Facile synthesis of photoactive diaryl(hetaryl)cyclopentenes by ionic hydrogenation

A facile synthetic approach to photoactive diarylethenes comprising a cyclopentene ring as an ethene bridge was developed based on reduction of 2,3-diaryl(hetaryl)cyclopent-2-en-1-ones through an ionic hydrogenation reaction.

Photomodulable phosphines incorporating diarylethene moieties

Incorporation of the dithienylethene moiety as a substituent provides new ‘switchable’ phosphine ligands whose electronic properties are reversibly modulated by light.