Solvent effect on photochromism of a dithienylperfluorocyclopentene having diethylamino group

Some photochromic diarylethenes having polar substituents were synthesized, and their photochromic behavior was examined. They exhibited photochromism with the similar photoreactivity in a non-polar solvent. However, the photocyclization quantum yield of dithienylperfluorocyclopentene having diethylamino group was found to decrease in polar solvents. The yield in acetonitrile was estimated to be 60 times smaller than that in hexane. The yields determined in various solvents were found to be correlated with the solvent polarity parameter ET(30). Such an effect was not observed in dithienylfluorocyclopentenes bearing methoxy or acetoxy group and in non-fluorinated dithienylcyclopentene bearing diethylamino group.