title: Optical switches with biplanemers obtained by intramolecular photocycloaddition reactions of tethered arenes.
abstract: The dimerization of anthracene by a [4π + 4π] cycloaddition is one of the oldest and best known reactions in photochemistry. In the series of tethered bichromophoric arenes, this reaction type could be extended to anthracene-naphthalene, naphthalene-naphthalene and recently even to anthracene-benzene and naphthalene-benzene systems. Cyclophanes, which can be regarded as twofold or multiple tethered systems, are not discussed here. The cycloisomerizations are performed by irradiation at the long-wavelength absorption (λ > 270 nm), whereas shorter wavelengths (λ < 270 nm) lead to cycloreversions, which can be also achieved by a thermal route. The systems represent therefore a P- and T-type photochromism, which can be used for optical or chiroptical switches. An acceleration of the switch is possible by a singlet energy transfer (light harvesting antenna effect) in dendritic compounds. In the past 5 to 10 years many applications of these switches were studied in the context of photonic devices, sensor techniques, lithographic processes, imaging techniques, data processing and data storage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55099 Mainz, Germany. hmeier@uni-mainz.de
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meier
authors.forename: Derong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cao