Two-photon photochromism of diarylethene dimer derivatives.

Photochromic diarylethene dimer derivatives with large two-photon absorption (TPA) cross-sections have been designed and synthesized. The derivatives have a D-pi-D structure in which indole rings are used as donor units (D) and 1,4-bis(ethynyl)benzene or 1,4-bis(ethenyl)benzene as a pi-conjugated chain unit (pi). Compound 5 a, which has oxazole rings as one of the aryl groups, showed a TPA cross-section of 23 GM at 820 nm and exhibited efficient two-photon photochromic reactivity.