Formation of long-lived fluorescent merocyanine forms of spiro compounds via their immobilization into polymer matrices from supercritical carbon dioxide medium

It is shown that the supercritical fluid (SCF) impregnation of polymers containing phenylphenol and halide polar groups (polycarbonate, fluoroplastic, poly(vinyl chloride)) with spiro compounds leads to conformational rearrangements resulting in stabilization of merocyanine forms of the photochromes. The effect of the formation of long-lived colored form B of the photochromes immobilized in the polymer matrix in SCF medium, revealed earlier for spinroanthroxazine, is of more general nature: it is observed and investigated by us for a number of spiro compounds SCF-impregnated into polar polymer matrices of different chemical structures. It was found that the colored forms of spiro compounds introduced in halogenated matrices feature intense photoluminescence.