Heteroarylstilbenes: Visible-Light-Tunable Photochromic Systems in Water

Visible-light
switchable stilbenes with a stable Z isomer that
can function in aqueous media are notably rare in the
literature. The synthesis and characterization of a set of 12 novel
molecules featuring an aryl-substituted heterostilbene motif, a class
of visible-light switchable stilbenes, are presented here. Leveraging
an electronic push–pull mechanism, strategic selection of electron
donors, and an indolinium moiety as the acceptor, we achieved precise
tuning of the switching wavelengths.