Ring closure reaction dynamics of diarylethene derivatives in solution

Photochromic ring closure reaction dynamics of 1,2-bis(2-methylbenzo[b]thiophen-3-yl)hexafluoro cyclopentene and its derivatives in solution has been studied by femtosecond time-resolved fluorescence. Time-resolved spontaneous fluorescence of the open isomer reveals a fast component of around 1 ps and a slow component on the order of 100 ps. Fluorescence time profiles, reaction quantum yields, and relative populations of the parallel (C(s) symmetry) and antiparallel (C(2) symmetry) conformations indicate that both time components are attributable mostly to the C(2) conformer that undergoes the ring closure reaction. The fast component is assigned to the direct ring closure reaction, and the slow component is assigned to the reaction through conformation change. Time constants of the slow component for the derivatives are inversely proportional to the reaction quantum yields, suggesting that the rate of the conformational dynamics is comparable to the rate of other population relaxation processes. The relative amplitude and exact time constant of the fast component depend on the detection wavelength displaying a higher relative amplitude with shorter time constant at longer wavelengths. The results allow us to propose a conformational inhomogeneity model, in which a broad distribution of conformations of the open isomers in the ground state is projected into two minima in the excited electronic potential surface to lead to the slow and the fast reaction pathways.

Syntheses and structures of photochromic silver(I) coordination polymers with cis-1,2-dicyano-1,2-bis(2,4,5-trimethyl-3-thienyl)ethene

Five novel silver(I) coordination polymers with cis-1,2-dicyano-1,2-bis(2,4,5-trimethyl-3- thienyl)ethene (cis-dbe) were synthesized and are characterized in this paper. Treatment of AgCF(3)SO(3) or AgCF(3)CO(2) with cis-dbe afforded [Ag(2)(cis-dbe)(CF(3)SO(3))(2)] (1) and [Ag(2)(cis-dbe)(CF(3)CO(2))(2)] (2), and both complexes exhibit a 1-D infinite chain structure with two cyano groups and two thienyl groups of the ligand bridging four metal ions. Reaction of AgC(n)()F(2)(n)(+1)CO(2) with cis-dbe gave rise to an unprecedented cocrystallization of a 2-D sheet structure, [Ag(2)(cis-dbe)(C(n)F(2)(n)(+1)CO(2))(2)], where n = 2 (3), 3 (4), and 4 (5). Upon irradiation with 450 nm light, these five silver(I) complexes turned orange or red from yellow, and the color reverted to yellow on exposure to 560 nm light, indicative of the reversible cyclization/ring-opening reaction occurring in the crystalline phase. Furthermore, different anions gave not only the different structural dimensions but also the different photoresponsive patterns. The correlation between the crystal structures and the photochromic reactivity is discussed.