Photocyclization Reactions of Diarylethenes via the Excited Triplet State.

Cyclization reactions of three diarylethene derivatives, 1,2-bis(2-methyl-3-benzothienyl)perfluorocyclopentene (BT), 1,2-bis(2-hexyl-3-benzothienyl)perfluorocyclopentene (BTHex), and 1,2-bis(2-isopropyl-3-benzothienyl)perfluorocyclopentene (BTiPr), via their excited triplet states were studied by means of steady-state and nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. The excited triplet states of BT, BTHex, and BTiPr were generated by energy transfer from the photoexcited triplet states of sensitizers such as xanthone, phenanthrene, and pyrene. The single-step quantum yields of the cyclization reactions from the excited triplet states of BT, BTHex, and BTiPr were determined to be 0.34, 0.53, and 0.65, respectively. The triplet energies of these three BTs were estimated to be 190-200 kJ mol(-1).