Pentaarylbiimidazole, PABI: an easily synthesized fast photochromic molecule with superior durability†
Abstract
We report a new type of fast photochromic imidazole dimer, pentaarylbiimidazole (PABI), which shows a few μs fast photochromism with high fatigue resistance against light irradiation. PABI has an unusual spiroconjugated imidazoisoindole skeleton and its derivatives can be prepared by simple synthetic procedures.