Unusual motion of the n-methoxypropyl moiety observed in the photochromic crystals of an organorhodium dithionite complex with n-methoxypropyltetramethylcyclopentadienyl ligands

The crystalline-state photochromism of a new organorhodium dinuclear complex having n-methoxypropyltetramethylcyclopentadienyl (eta(5)-C(5)Me(4)n-C3H6OCH3) and photoresponsive dithionite (mu-O2SSO2) ligands was investigated directly by performing single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments; a reversible conformational change of the n-methoxypropyl moiety was intriguingly observed during the course of a thermal back-reaction.

Automated summary

The crystalline-state photochromism of a new organorhodium dinuclear complex was investigated through single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments. An intriguing reversible conformational change of the n-methoxypropyl moiety was observed during a thermal back-reaction.