The optical and redox properties of a methyl pyridinium appended 1,2-dithienylethene photochromic derivative have been thoroughly investigated. A complex multi-step photo/redox mechanism is proposed for the closed isomer on the ground of spectro-electrochemical and theoretical data. The generated compounds are not stable over the time because of chemical reactions associated to the redox processes and a new dithienylethene derivative incorporating a seven-membered ring has been isolated and characterized.
Keywords: density functional calculations; dithienylethene; electrochemistry; photochemistry; photochromism.
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