Issue 27, 2010

Micro-environmental fine-tuning of electronic and kinetic properties of photochromic dyes

Abstract

Despite the recognition of the importance of Spiropyran (SP)–Merocyanine (MC) photochromic materials in molecular switching, the majority of studies have been reported in solution with relatively few in the solid-state as required in modern displays and other devices. In contrast, the present work bridges solution, condensed phase and solid-phase media and is to our knowledge the first micro-environmental study on electronic and kinetic effects for the SPMC system. Expanding on our previous work we have investigated the photochromic properties of an SP molecule (1b) attached to a 100 μm commercially available polystyrene micro-particle (Wang Resin). The thermal MCSP reversion kinetics (5a,b4a,b and 2a,b1a,b) which reflect the critical lifetime of the open MC form were measured. Reduction in kobs of thermal reversion, MCSP, up to two orders of magnitude, and a blue-shift up to 58 nm was observed with the potential for tailoring or fine tuning. The use of polymeric micro-particles in controlling both electronic and kinetic properties of photochromic molecular switches has been highlighted.

Graphical abstract: Micro-environmental fine-tuning of electronic and kinetic properties of photochromic dyes

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
02 Mar 2010
Accepted
14 Apr 2010
First published
08 Jun 2010

J. Mater. Chem., 2010,20, 5727-5735

Micro-environmental fine-tuning of electronic and kinetic properties of photochromic dyes

J. Whelan, D. Abdallah, J. Wojtyk and E. Buncel, J. Mater. Chem., 2010, 20, 5727 DOI: 10.1039/C0JM00585A

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