The theoretical investigation of one of the derivatives of 1, 2-dithienylcyclopentene as a molecular switch.

The structural and electronic properties of a three-state molecular switch-an active device in a nano-electronic circuit-were studied using the B3LYP/6-31G* method. Due to its chemical stability, high conductivity upon doping, and non-linear optical properties, polythiophene is among the most widely studied conjugated organic polymers, both experimentally and theoretically. The aim of the present work was to theoretically study a very complex case: a three-state switch synthesized and experimentally investigated by Nishida et al. (Org Lett 6:2523-2526, 2004). An initial set of test calculations showed B3LYP level of theory and 6-31G* basis set to be the most appropriate for our purpose, i.e., the study of the structure, charge and spin distributions, as well as electrical characteristics such as electric polarizability, HOMO-LUMO gap (HLG) and electric dipole moment, for one of the 1,2-dithienylcyclopentene derivatives. Also, natural bond orbital analyses were performed to calculate local charges and charge transfers in order to study the capability of the molecule as a molecular switch. The results reported here are of general significance, and demonstrate that it is possible to use certain structural and electrical properties to understand and design electro-photochromic compounds showing a switching function in cases where stable forms can be exchanged by light or electron transfer. Figure Model of a thiophene wire incorporating a redox active unit.