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New Frontiers in Photochromism pp 161–181Cite as

Fast Photochromism of Bridged Imidazole Dimers

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Abstract

Switching of the physical and chemical properties of materials by photochromic compounds has been the subject of considerable research. Increasing switching rates, particularly the thermal bleaching rate, is required for certain applications, such as optical data processing and light modulators. We recently developed the photochromic bridged imidazole dimers that show instantaneous coloration upon exposure to UV light and rapid fading in the dark. We designed and synthesized several bridged imidazole dimers, having a naphthalene or a [2.2]paracyclophane moiety that bridge two triphenylimidazole or diphenylimidazole units, and succeeded in accelerating the thermal bleaching rate. These photochromic compounds show photoinduced homolytic bond cleavage of the C–N bond between the imidazole rings and successive fast C–N bond formation. Rapid thermal bleaching kinetics enables a solution color change only where it is irradiated with UV light because the thermal bleaching rate is much faster than the diffusion rate of the colored species at room temperature. Photochromic materials showing such intense photocoloration and rapid thermal bleaching performance are promising materials for prospective fast light modulator applications.

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Acknowledgments

I would like to gratefully acknowledge support from the Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Priority Area “New Frontiers in Photochromism” (No. 471) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A) (22245025) of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Sciences (JSPS).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, School of Science and Engineering, Aoyama Gakuin University, 5-10-1 Fuchinobe, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-5258, Japan

    Jiro Abe

  2. CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 7 Gobancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-0076, Japan

    Jiro Abe

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  1. Jiro Abe
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Correspondence to Jiro Abe .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan

    Masahiro Irie

  2. Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Japan

    Yasushi Yokoyama

  3. Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan

    Takahiro Seki

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Abe, J. (2013). Fast Photochromism of Bridged Imidazole Dimers. In: Irie, M., Yokoyama, Y., Seki, T. (eds) New Frontiers in Photochromism. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-54291-9_9

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