A unimolecular platform based on diarylethene with multiple stimuli-gated photochromism. (May 2019) - Chen, Xuanying
Abstract: The gated photochromic systems have attracted great interest in scientific researches due to their merits in the opto-electronic fields, whereas the multi-stimuli gating function in a unimolecular platform has rarely been addressed. Herein, a new strategy to realize multi-stimuli gated photochromic function was devised relying on a simple Schiff-based diarylethene derivative. The compound shows no photoswitching properties in solution under irradiation with any wavelength of light. It is noteworthy that mecury(II) ions, water and protons can trigger its photo-reactivity independently with different absorption changes, respectively. Therefore, a molecular logic circuit with four inputs, including mecury(II) ions, water, protons and UV light, was fabricated on the basis of the unimolecular platform, suggesting promise for application in multi-controlled photoswitchings. These results could be valuable for the further development of photoswitchings with multiple stimuli responses. Graphical abstract: A molecular switch based on diarylethenes with multiple stimuli-gated photochromism was developed to serve as a molecular logic circuit.Image 1 Highlights: A new strategy to realize multi-stimuli gated photochromic function was devised. Its photoswitching properties triggered by mecury(II) ions, water and protons were extensively studied. It could be applied to construct a molecular logic circuit with four input signals.