Reversible photochromism of polynorbornenes bearing spiropyran side groups

• Published in: Monatshefte für Chemie Vol. 143; no. 11; pp. 1551 - 1558
• Main Authors: Hauser, Lucas, Knall, Astrid-Caroline, Roth, Meinhart, Trimmel, Gregor, Edler, Matthias, Griesser, Thomas, Kern, Wolfgang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vienna Springer Vienna 2012
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chemistry/Food Science; Inorganic Chemistry; Organic Chemistry; Original Paper; Physical Chemistry; Theoretical and Computational Chemistry; Ring-opening metathesis polymerization; Photolithography; Spiro compounds; Photochemistry
• ISSN: 0026-9247; 1434-4475
• DOI: 10.1007/s00706-012-0827-0

In this paper, the synthesis and characterization of poly(norbornene) homo- and copolymers bearing spiropyran side groups are described. Difficulties in the homopolymerization of spiropyrans due to the opened merocyanine form were observed leading to low polymerization yields for homopolymers while copolymers with 10 mol% spiropyran content were prepared in good yield. Spiropyrans are characterized by their reversible photochromism, which was conserved in the polymers as shown by UV–Vis spectroscopy and FT-IR spectroscopy. The switching between the apolar spiropyran form and the zwitterionic merocyanine form also leads to switchable wettability as evidenced by contact angle measurements.
Graphical Abstract