Dependence of photoinduced bending behavior of diarylethene crystals on irradiation wavelength of ultraviolet light

The dependence of the photoinduced bending behavior of diarylethene crystals on the ultraviolet light irradiation wavelength was investigated. When irradiated with 365 nm light, a crystal of 1,2-bis(5-methyl-2-phenyl-4-thiazolyl)perfluorocyclopentene (1a) bends toward the incident light. On the other hand, when irradiated with 380 nm light, the crystal of 1a first bends away from the light source and then bends toward the incident light. To explain this bending behavior, we propose a comprehensive mechanism based on the depth of the photochromic reaction from the crystal surface. This mechanism is successfully supported by the change of cell parameters associated with the photochromic reaction upon irradiation with 380 nm light, which was determined by in situ X-ray crystallographic analysis.