Naphthopyran molecular switches undergo a ring-opening reaction upon external stimulation to generate colored merocyanine dyes. We highlight the features of naphthopyran that render it a powerful platform for designing mechanochromic materials.
We report bistable indole-containing hemithioindigos (HTIs) with one-way quantitative photoswitching properties, as well as highly redshifted bipyrrole-containing HTIs inspired by conductive polymers.
The silindeno-fused 3H-naphthopyrans show faster thermal fading rate and higher optical density than the carboindeno-fused analogues.
Typical examples of structural switchable functional groups triggered by photo-, pH-, thermal-, force-, CO2- or redox-stimuli for constructing stimuli-responsive polymers.
A new class of diaryl-hemithioindigo is presented as capable reversible photoswitches with enhanced structural elaboration and stimuli-responsive behavior. Multi-state and multi-stimuli addressability enable advanced molecular logic operations.