Efficient, Synthesis, Photochromism Properties of a Hybrid Diarylethene

An unsymmetrical diarylethene derivative bearing both phenyl and thiophene moieties, in which a methoxyl group was substituted at the para-positions of the terminal phenyl ring, was synthesized. At the same time, its photochromic properties and fluorescence switch were investigated in detail. The results showed that this compound exhibited reversible photochromism, undergoing reversible cyclization and cycloreversion reactions upon alternating irradiation with UV and visible light both in solution and in PMMA film. The fluorescence intensity of diarylethene decreased dramatically along with the photochromism from open-ring isomer to closed-ring isomer upon irradiation with 297 nm UV light in hexane.