Pentaarylbiimidazole, PABI: an easily synthesized fast photochromic molecule with superior durability

Chem Commun (Camb). 2014 Aug 11;50(62):8468-71. doi: 10.1039/c4cc03137g.

Abstract

We report a new type of fast photochromic imidazole dimer, pentaarylbiimidazole (PABI), which shows a few μs fast photochromism with high fatigue resistance against light irradiation. PABI has an unusual spiroconjugated imidazoisoindole skeleton and its derivatives can be prepared by simple synthetic procedures.