Synthesis of photochromic diarylethene polymers for a write-by-light/erase-by-heat recording system

A functionalized styrene monomer (1a) having a photochromic diarylethene chromophore with functional properties of photocoloration, photostability of the colored state, and thermal erasion by heating was synthesized, and the polymer and copolymers of la were prepared by radical polymerization and copolymerization. Their polymers exhibited excellent photocoloration and rapid thermal bleaching above 150 degrees C in solution and in the solid state as well as the performance of the monomeric diarylethene chromophore. In addition, the colored state has a high photostability under visible room light. The diarylethene homopolymer had a glass transition temperature (T-g) as high as polystyrene. The copolymer of la with N-1-adamantylmaleimide exhibited extremely high T-g above 200 degrees C with keeping the photofunctional performance. Such photochromic polymer and copolymers with high Tg can be potentially applied to rewritable display materials and image recordings by a write-by-light/erase-by-heat system. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.