Synthesis and applications of photochromic fulgides in optical information storages

A pyrryl substituted photochromic fulgide, (1-p-methoxyphenyl-2-methyl-5-phenyl)-3-pyrryl-ethylidene (isopropylidene) succinic anhydride, was synthesized. Its chemical structure was identified by IR, H-1 NMR MS and elemental analysis. The title compound was used to prepare the optical disks by the spin coating method and the vacuum evaporation method. The results of the static state examination show that the optical disks prepared with this kind of molecules possess excellent thermal stability and fatigue resistance, i.e. over 450 writing-erasing recycles, the relative contrast between writing state and erasing state remains at 40%.