title: Reversible photochromism of polynorbornenes bearing spiropyran side groups.
abstract: In this paper, the synthesis and characterization of poly(norbornene) homo- and copolymers bearing spiropyran side groups are described. Difficulties in the homopolymerization of spiropyrans due to the opened merocyanine form were observed leading to low polymerization yields for homopolymers while copolymers with 10 mol% spiropyran content were prepared in good yield. Spiropyrans are characterized by their reversible photochromism, which was conserved in the polymers as shown by UV-Vis spectroscopy and FT-IR spectroscopy. The switching between the apolar spiropyran form and the zwitterionic merocyanine form also leads to switchable wettability as evidenced by contact angle measurements.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Chemistry and Technology of Materials, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse 9, 8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Lucas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hauser
authors.affiliation: Institute for Chemistry and Technology of Materials, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse 9, 8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Astrid-Caroline
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Knall
authors.affiliation: Institute for Chemistry and Technology of Materials, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse 9, 8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Meinhart
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.affiliation: Institute for Chemistry and Technology of Materials, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse 9, 8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Trimmel
authors.affiliation: Chair of Chemistry of Polymeric Materials, University of Leoben, Otto-Glöckel-Strasse 2, 8700 Leoben, Austria.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Edler
authors.affiliation: Chair of Chemistry of Polymeric Materials, University of Leoben, Otto-Glöckel-Strasse 2, 8700 Leoben, Austria.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Griesser
authors.affiliation: Chair of Chemistry of Polymeric Materials, University of Leoben, Otto-Glöckel-Strasse 2, 8700 Leoben, Austria.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kern
keywords: Photochemistry; Photolithography; Ring-opening metathesis polymerization; Spiro compounds