Experimental and computational electrochemistry of quinazolinespirohexadienone molecular switches – differential electrochromic vs photochromic behavior

• Eric W. Webb,
• Jonathan P. Moerdyk,
• Kyndra B. Sluiter,
• Benjamin J. Pollock,
• Amy L. Speelman,
• Eugene J. Lynch,
• William F. Polik and
• Jason G. Gillmore

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2019, 15, 2473–2485, doi:10.3762/bjoc.15.240

• focused on the preparation and investigation of electron-deficient analogs of the perimidinespirohexadienone (PSHD) family of photochromic molecular switches for potential application as "photochromic photooxidants" for gating sensitivity to photoinduced charge transfer. We previously reported the

• calculations of bond lengths, bond orders, and molecular orbitals allow the rationalization of this differential photochromic vs electrochromic behavior of the QSHDs. Keywords: cyclic voltammetry; density functional theory; heterocycles; molecular switches; photochromic photooxidants; spirocycles

• pLW 4 remains < +1.0 V vs SCE, insufficient to oxidize most donor molecules of relevance to materials applications. If our photochromic photooxidants are to be effective in real systems, the pLW will need to be made more electron deficient. Our computational predictions of the reduction potential [22