Faraday communications. Transient optical dichroism in a photochromic polymer glass and its relationship to molecular reorientation

Abstract

(E)-α-2,5-Dimethyl-3-furylethylidene(isopropylidene)succinic anhydride (I) was converted into a coloured polychrome (II) by exposure to UV light. Transient optical dichroism data have been obtained for II in poly(methyl methacrylate) at 50 °C that are consistent with the relaxation of I_∥(t) and I_⊥(t) that occurs via molecular motions of the photochromic molecules.