Synthesis and properties of 1-(2-methyl-5-chloro-3-thienyl)-2-(2-trifluoromethylphenyl) perfluorocyclopentene

A novel photochromic diarylethene based on thiophene and a six-membered aryl moieties 1-(2-methyl-5-chloro-3-thienyl)-2-(2-trifluoromethylphenyl) perfluorocyclopentene has been synthesized. At the same time, its photochromic properties and fluorescence switch were investigated in detail. The results showed that this compound exhibited reversible photochromism, undergoing reversible cyclization and cycloreversion reactions upon alternating irradiation with UV and visible light in PM:MA film. The fluorescence intensity of diarylethene decreased along with the photochromism from open-ring isomer to closed-ring isomer upon irradiation with 254 nm UV light in PMMA. The fluorescence intensity decreases along with the increase of solution concentration.