Mechanism and fluorescence application of electrochromism in photochromic dithienylcyclopentene.

The kinetic process of key intermediates involved in the electrochemical ring opening of photochromic dithienylcyclopentenes (DTEs) has been observed for the first time, where the electronic nature of the DTEs is an important factor that determines the rate-determining step in the electrochromism. The dual chromic property has been implemented to a single molecular fluorescence memory.