A Molecular Platform for Multistate Near-Infrared Electrochromism and Flip-Flop, Flip-Flap-Flop, and Ternary Memory

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie International Edition Vol. 54; no. 32; pp. 9192 - 9197
• Main Authors: Cui, Bin-Bin, Tang, Jian-Hong, Yao, Jiannian, Zhong, Yu-Wu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 03.08.2015; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Edition: International ed. in English
• Subjects: Absorbance; Amines; Bridges (structures); Displays; Electrochemistry; Electrochromism; Flip-flops; Mathematical analysis; memory; molecular device; molecular logic; Retention time; ruthenium; Thick films; ruthenium; molecular device; memory; molecular logic; electrochemistry
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.201504584

A diruthenium complex with a redox‐active amine bridge has been designed, synthesized, and studied by single‐crystal X‐ray analysis and DFT and TDDFT calculations. It shows three well‐separated redox processes with exclusive near‐infrared (NIR) absorbance at each redox state. The electropolymerized film of a related vinyl‐functionalized complex displays multistate NIR electrochromism with low operational potential, good contrast ratio, and long retention time. Flip‐flop, flip‐flap‐flop, and ternary memories have been realized by using the obtained film (ca. 15–20 nm thick) with three electrochemical inputs and three NIR optical outputs that each displays three levels of signal intensity. A diruthenium complex with a redox‐active amine bridge shows three well‐separated redox processes with exclusive near‐infrared (NIR) absorbance at each redox state. The flip‐flop, flip‐flap‐flop, and ternary memory have been realized by using the electropolymerized film (15–20 nm thick) of a related vinyl‐functionalized complex with three electrochemical inputs and three NIR optical outputs.