Photochromic amorphous molecular materials based on dibenzothienylthiazole structure

Terarylene derivatives having benzothienyl moieties, 4,5-bis(2-methylbenzo[b]thiophene-3-yl)-2-phenylthiazole, 4,5-di(benzo[b]thiophen-3-yl)-2-phenylthiazole are synthesized and their photochromic properties are studied. These photochromic molecules show fairly high photoreactivities in both solution and bulk amorphous film, and show relatively high glass-transition temperatures. The former molecule shows photochromic reactivity even in the single crystalline phase.