Linked Photoswitches Where Both Photochromes Open and Close

In the dithienylethene photochrome series, linking two photochromes together directly, or with an ethynyl spacer, shuts down the photoswitching of one of the photochromes. We report here, that for dihydropyrenes, two photochromes can be linked together without affecting the ability of either to photoswitch. [reaction--see text]