Studies on solid-state proton transfer along hydrogen bond of pyrazolone-ring

Evidence from the time-dependent UV–vis reflection spectra studies indicates the compound 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-(4-methylbenzal)-5-pyrazolone 4-ethylthiosemicarbazone (PM4MBP-ETSC) undergoes a solid-state photochromism. The reaction rate constant was studied by the first-order kinetics curves. X-ray single crystal structural analysis shows that the pyrazolone-ring stabilizes in the keto form. The conclusion can be made that its photochromism in crystalline is associated with a photoinduced proton transfer reaction (inter- and intra-molecular hydrogen transfer) along hydrogen bond leading to a colored tautomer as the compound crystallizes in H-bonded supramolecular configuration.