Photoregulated fluorescence switching in axially coordinated tin(IV) porphyrinic dithienylethene

Abstract

Photochromic fluorophore Sn(TTP)(DTE)(2), in which two phenolic derivatives of 1,2-dithienylethene are axially Coordinated to (5,10,15,20-tetratolylporphyrinato)tin(IV) in trans position, has been synthesized and fully characterized by various spectroscopic methods. We have also investigated the photoregulated fluorescence switching behavior of Sn(TTP)(DTE)(2). The fluorescence of the porphyrin macrocycle in Sn(TTP)(DTE)(2) greatly depends on the state of the 1,2-dithienyletene photochromic switch. In the open state (Sn(TTP)(o-DTE)(2)), the porphyrin exhibits high fluorescence intensity at 609 and 664 nm when excited at 410 nm. When the photocyclization reaction was carried out by irradiating Sn(TTP)(o-DTE)(2) with the UV light (similar to 365 nm), the fluorescence intensity of the porphyrin macrocycle decreased. Back irradiation with visible light at wavelengths greater than 500 nm regenerated Sn(TTP)(o-DTE)(2) and almost restored the original fluorescence spectrum. The fluorescence intensity of the porphyrin fluorophore is efficiently regulated by photochromic switching between Sn(TTP)(o-DTE)(2) and Sn(TTP)(c-DTE)(2) in several cycles, clearly demonstrating that the Sn(TTP)(DTE)(2) can act as a system for reversible data processing using fluorescence as the detection method.