All Visible Light Switch Based on the Dimethyldihydropyrene Photochromic Core

J Phys Chem Lett. 2020 Apr 2;11(7):2682-2688. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c00408. Epub 2020 Mar 23.

Abstract

Two photoswitchable compounds that can operate under visible light irradiation are prepared and investigated using spectroscopic and computational studies. These all-visible systems are based on the dimethyldihydropyrene (DHP)/cyclophanediene (CPD) photochromic couple connected either to a bipyridine (bpy) unit or to a (tris(bpy)ruthenium(II)) complex through a pyridinium bridge. In these compounds, the DHP to CPD isomerization and the reverse CPD to DHP conversion can be triggered by illumination with red (>630 nm) and blue (460 nm) lights, respectively. The unambiguous and reversible response of these systems triggered by visible light make them potential candidates for biological purposes and electronic devices.

MeSH terms

  • Coordination Complexes / chemical synthesis
  • Coordination Complexes / chemistry*
  • Coordination Complexes / radiation effects
  • Density Functional Theory
  • Isomerism
  • Ligands
  • Light
  • Models, Chemical
  • Pyrenes / chemical synthesis
  • Pyrenes / chemistry*
  • Pyrenes / radiation effects
  • Ruthenium / chemistry

Substances

  • Coordination Complexes
  • Ligands
  • Pyrenes
  • Ruthenium