A series of photochromic 2,2,4,6-tetraaryl-2 H -benzo[ h ]chromenes have been efficiently synthesised by two complementary strategies employing the condensation 1,1,3-triarylprop-2-yn-1-ols with 4-substituted 1-naphthols and Suzuki cross-coupling chemistry. The novel 1,1,3-triarylpropynols were readily obtained either addition an arylacetylide to requisite benzophenones or a Sonogashira couplin...

Photochromism is a phenomenon describing the irradiation-induced reversible transformation of chemical compound's colour between two states (dubbed as switch). This review makes an up-to-date account inorganic photochromic compounds. In first part, we summarise mechanisms involving transition metal oxides, with emphasis on canonical WO3 large-bandgap semiconductor. second discuss potential cont...

We demonstrate that a biphenyl-bridged imidazole dimer exhibits fast photochromism with a thermal recovery time constant of ∼100 ns, which is the fastest thermal back reaction in all reported imidazole dimers. Sub-ps transient absorption spectroscopy reveals that the generation process of the colored species occurs within 1 ps.

Redox-active ferrocene- and triarylamine-terminated diethynylethene derivatives have been synthesized and their photochromic properties and switching behavior based on through-bond electronic communication between the two redox sites, as well as their emissions, have been examined. Both bis(ferrocenylethynyl)ethene 1 and bis(triarylaminoethynyl)ethene 2 show visible-light photochromism induced ...