Stabilization of the merocyanine form of photochromic compounds in fluoro alcohols is due to a hydrogen bond

Abstract

Fluoroalcohols [1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropan-2-ol (HFP), 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) and 2-fluoroethanol (FE)], acting as Lewis acids, stabilize the π-conjugated, colored merocyanine forms of spiropyran and spirooxazine photochromic compounds as metal ions do.