Self-organized photochromic dithienylcyclopentene organogels

A series of photochromic organogelators based on dithienylcyclopentene amides with a phenylene unit as a bridge between the amide and long alkyl chain were synthesized, their gelation behaviors were characterized by rheology, FT-IR, 1H NMR, SEM, optical microscopy, UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. These organogelator molecules were found to be able to induce gelation in apolar solvents such as benzene, toluene and p-xylene to form entangled networks driven by intermolecular hydrogen bonding together with π–π interactions. Their excellent reversible photochromism with thermal stability in both solution and gel states was observed, and the thermally reversible property in sol–gel transition was exhibited.