Synthesis and photochromism of a novel water-soluble diarylethene with glucosyltriazolyl groups

A novel water-soluble diarylethene bearing glucosyltriazolyl groups has been explored for the first time, and its properties including photochromism, thermal stability, and fluorescence have been discussed. The diarylethene has very good solubility with a value of 750 mg mL−1 in water at 300 K. It showed excellent photochromism, accompanied with the color change from colorless to red, by photoirradiation in both water and a poly(methylmethacrylate) film. The absorption maximum of its closed-ring isomer was observed at 516 nm in water and 520 nm in a poly(methylmethacrylate) film, respectively. In a poly(methylmethacrylate) film, the diarylethene exhibited a notable fluorescent switch, the emission intensity of which was quenched to ca. 25% in the photostationary state.