An investigation of chromotropic behaviour in anils using combined neutron diffraction and Raman spectroscopy

Following the conclusion of a facility development project to develop a new sample environment allowing simultaneous in-situ neutron diffraction and Raman spectroscopy, we propose to study photoisomerization in 3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylidene-3,4dimethoxyanline, and proton migration in-salicylidene-2,5difluroanline and 3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylidene-2,4difluroanline. These compounds are chromotropic and such behaviour is associated with the transfer of a hydrogen atom from the oxygen atom of a phenolic group to a nitrogen atom to produce an enamine. The proton migration occurs either by thermal (thermochromic) or light stimuli (photochromic) and the possibility of studying the structural features and the Raman response at the same time will probe the mechanisms of action in fine details whilst building fundamental knowledge to be used for further calculations on these systems