Correlation between the photoinduced shape changes of diarylethene single crystals and their molecular packing in the crystals was studied. Crystals of 1,2-bis(5-ethyl-2-phenyl-4-thiazolyl)perfluorocyclopentene (3a) and 1,2-bis(2-isopropyl-5-phenyl-3-thienyl)perfluorocyclopentene (4a) showed similar photoinduced deformation from square to lozenge as that of 1,2-bis- (2-ethyl-5-phenyl-3-thienyl)perfluorocyclopentene (1a). Although these three diarylethenes have different electronic structures and exhibit different colours upon UV irradiation, the crystallographic structures and molecular packing of the crystals are very similar to each other. The result indicates that the deformation mode is determined by the packing mode of component molecules in the crystal. X-Ray crystallographic analysis of a micrometre-sized crystal 1a (20 x 15 x 8 microm) prepared by sublimation revealed that the small-size crystal, which shows photoinduced deformation, has the same crystal structure as that of the large bulk crystal.

Single crystals composed of two or three different kinds of diarylethenes, having similar geometrical structures but different colors in the closed-ring isomers, 1,2-bis(2-methyl-5-phenyl-3-thienyl)perfluorocyclopentene (1a), 1,2-bis(5-methyl-2-phenyl- 4-thiazolyl)perfluorocyclopentene (2a), and 1,2-bis(5-methyl-2-phenyl-4-oxazolyl)perfluorocyclopentene (3a) have been prepared in an attempt to form single crystals which exhibit different colors, depending on illumination wavelengths. When 1a and 2a are mixed in ethanol and the content of 2a in the feed is higher than that of 1a, only a needle-shaped crystal is obtained. The crystal shape is similar to that of 2a. On the other hand, high content of 1a in the feed leads to formation of a block-shaped crystal, of which the shape is similar to that of 1a. At a feed ratio of 1:1 for 1a and 2a, two types of crystals such as needle- and block-shapes are obtained from the same batch. Mixed crystals composed of three kinds of derivatives 1a/2a/3a have also been prepared. A crystal composed of the three derivatives in the molar ratio of 32 (1a):53 (2a):15 (3a) was obtained. X-ray analysis proved that 1a and 3a are packed in the crystal lattice of 2a. The mixed crystal 1a/2a/3a changed color from colorless to yellow, red, and blue upon irradiation with light of appropriate wavelengths.

Diarylethene derivatives with oxidized thiophene rings shift their absorption band to a shorter wavelength in the UV region upon photocyclization; no color change was observed during the photochromic reaction, and the invisible photochromism is advantageous for devices used under room light.

Although dioxazolylethene 1a did not show any photocoloration in the single crystalline phase, 1a displayed photochromism in the mixed crystal containing both 1a and dithiazolylethene 2a ; the mixed crystal changed color from colorless to red, orange, and yellow upon irradiation with light of appropriate wavelengths.

A diarylethene derivative, in which oxazole rings are attached to the ethene moiety at the 5-position, was synthesized, and its photochromic and fluorescent properties were examined. The derivative undergoes photochromism in solution and the open-ring isomer exhibits strong fluorescence. The fluorescence intensity was found to reversibly change along with the photochromism.