Photochromism of polymorphic 4,4′-methylenebis(N-salicylidene-2,6-diisopropylaniline) crystals

Abstract

4,4[prime or minute]-Methylenebis(N-salicylidene-2,6-dialkylaniline) derivatives were prepared and their structures were determined by (1)H NMR, IR, DSC and X-ray crystallographic analyses. The 2,6-diisopropylaniline derivative yielded definite polymorphic crystals: the space groups of the crystals were C2/c and P2(1)/n, respectively. It was found that both polymorphs were similarly photochromic but the thermal stability of the photochrome was different due to the variance of the shape of molecule and cavity in each crystal.