Chemistry Letters, Vol.30, No.7, 618-619, 2001
Extraordinarily low cycloreversion quantum yields of photochromic diarylethenes with methoxy substituents
Diarylperfluorocyclopentenes having 2-methoxy-5-phenylthiophene as the aryl groups were synthesized. Introduction of two methoxy substituents instead of methyl groups at the reactive carbons of 1,2-bis(5-phenyl-3-thienyl)perfluorocyclopentene decreased the photocyoloreversion quantum yield by a factor of 10(3), while the cyclization quantum yield was similar.