Photochromism of diarylethene single molecules and single crystals.
Photochromism is characterized as a reversible colour change of a chemical species upon photoirradiation. Although vast numbers of photochromic molecules have been so far synthesized, molecules which exhibit thermally irreversible photochromic reactivity are limited within a few families of compounds. Among the thermally irreversible photochromic molecules, diarylethene derivatives are the most promising candidates for applications to opto-electronic devices because of their fatigue resistance, high sensitivity and rapid response. In this review, characteristic photochromic performances of the derivatives, detection and analysis of the photochromic reactions at a single-molecule level and application of the single-crystalline photochromism to molecular machinery will be described.
Department of Chemistry and Research Center for Smart Molecules, Rikkyo University, Nishi-Ikebukuro 3-34-1, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, 171-8501, Japan. iriem@rikkyo.ac.jp
Masahiro
M
Irie
D003460:Crystallization; D003517:Cyclopentanes / Q000737:chemistry; D005030:Ethylenes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000737:chemistry; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
D003517:Cyclopentanes; D005030:Ethylenes; D005466:Fluorocarbons; C521095:perfluorocyclopentene; C036216:ethylene