Photochromic reactions of diarylethenes in single crystals with intermolecular O--H...N hydrogen-bonding networks.

The crystal structures and photochromic performance of a single crystal of a diarylethene derivative possessing carboxyl groups, 1,2-bis(5-carboxyl-2-methyl-3-thienyl)perfluorocyclopentene (1 a), and cocrystals of 1 a with 4,4'-, 2,4'-, and 2,2'-bipyridines were examined. In crystal 1 a, a discrete cyclic structure was observed, in which four 1 a molecules are linked through hydrogen bonds between the carboxyl groups. In the homocrystal, photoreactive and photoinactive conformers of 1 a exist in the ratio of 1:1. In the cocrystals of 1 a with bipyridines, O--HN-type hydrogen bonds between 1 a and pyridyl groups were formed, and all 1 a molecules are fixed in a photoreactive conformation. Both the homocrystal 1 a and the cocrystals showed photochromic performances, and color variation from bluish-violet to cyan was observed, depending on the conformation of the packed diarylethene molecules.