PRELUDIUM BIS 1

 

 

New photochromic molecules for the construction of photoswitchable molecular magnets

 

This project aims at the rational design of photochromic molecules (dithienyethenes) via organic chemistry methods and their implementation in the construction of new photoswitchable molecular materials through the coordination and supramolecular chemistry approach (building block approach). The use of photochromic compounds as the photoswitchable components has been proposed before, however, the reports of the actual target compounds that would show persistent photomagnetic switching at room temperature are scarce. Hence, the ultimate goal of the project is the development of viable synthetic strategies toward room-temperatute photoswitchable magnetics systems. This goal will be achieved by developing new dithienylethenes and employing them as chelating and bridging ligands towards: (a) iron (II) centers to isolate photoswitchable spin crossover behavior, (b) low-coordinate lanthanide complexes in order to construct photoswitchable molecular qubits and quantum nanomagnets and (c) „open”3d metal salts to obtain systems showing photoswitchable long – range magnetic ordering. All compounds will be characterized spectroscopically, structurally and magnetically before and after dithienylethene photocyclization to demonstrate the target functionality: light-induced ligand-assisted structural and magnetic switching.

 

Photoswitchable compounds are intensively studied by the leading research groups working in the field of molecular sciences due to their potential applications in photonic devices, ultra-fast information processing and data storage applications. The proposed research goes beyond the current state-of-the-art. In the field of photochromism and photommagnetism by merging the outstanding photoswitching performance of dithienylethenes and the ground-breaking achievements of the molecular magnetism society and thus, will significantly expand the knowledge about these types of molecular/supramolecular systems. The possible outcomes of the project will also have significant application potential – the obtained target compounds will show the strongly desired multifunctionality – a property that allows multiple functionalities to co-exist within a single material. This will result in the preparation of relevant „r&D-type” proposals submitted to other funding agencies.

 

For more: https://projekty.ncn.gov.pl/en/index.php?projekt_id=464401