Title

Theoretical Study of Photochromic Compounds: Part 3. Prediction of Thermal Stability

Authors

Authors

P. D. Patel;A. E. Masunov

Comments

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Abbreviated Journal Title

J. Phys. Chem. C

Keywords

SINGLE-CRYSTALLINE PHOTOCHROMISM; DENSITY-FUNCTIONAL THEORY; CYCLOHEXADIENE/HEXATRIENE PHOTOCHEMICAL INTERCONVERSION; MOLECULAR; SWITCHING DEVICE; 1ST-ROW TRANSITION-METALS; BY-PRODUCT FORMATION; REVERSIBLE PHOTOCYCLIZATION; DIARYLETHENE DERIVATIVES; REACTION; DYNAMICS; AB-INITIO; Chemistry, Physical; Nanoscience & Nanotechnology; Materials Science, ; Multidisciplinary

Abstract

Diarylethene derivatives are known to be photochromic, that is, upon irradiation they change their color because of ultrafast photocyclization. Their proposed use as nonvolatile data storage materials requires the cycloreversion process to be very slow in the dark. We apply density functional theory (DFT) methods to predict kinetics of thermal cycloreversion. The cycloreversion occurs through symmetry forbidden conrotatory electrocyclic mechanism with transition state of strong diradical character and requires the use of unrestricted broken-symmetry DFT formalism. Our results suggest that B3LYP and M05-2X are the best functionals to describe kinetics in these compounds (accurate to within 3-4 kcal/mol from the experimental values). The methods validated in this study show great promise as tools in rational design of the improved photochromic materials.

Journal Title

Journal of Physical Chemistry C

Volume

115

Issue/Number

20

Publication Date

1-1-2011

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

10292

Last Page

10297

WOS Identifier

WOS:000290652200059

ISSN

1932-7447

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