Effects of Steric Bulkiness of Substituents on Quantum Yields of Photochromic Reactions of Furylfulgides

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Abstract
Furylfulgides with different sizes of alkyl substituents were synthesized and their photochromic properties were examined. While the quantum yield of coloring reaction increased and the quantum yield of the E-to-Z isomerization decreased as the steric bulkiness of the alkyl substitutent on the 2,5-dimethyl-3-furylmethylidene moiety increased, the bleaching quantum yield increased as the isopropylidene group was replaced by an adamantylidene group. Both effects worked independently, and a furylfulgide with an isopropyl group on the furylmethylidene moiety and an adamantylidene group in one molecule showed the coloring quantum yield of 0.51 (366 nm) and the bleaching quantum yield of 0.26 (492 nm) in toluene.