Electrochemical investigation of a photochromic spiropyran containing a pyrrolidinofullerene moiety

Reversible transformations of a hybrid molecule based on [60]fullerene and a spiropyran moiety under conditions of combined photo- and electrochemical exposure were found. It has been established that the electrochemical oxidation of the UV-photoinduced colored form of the hybrid spiropyran in solution significantly accelerates the discoloration process and does not affect the fullerene part of the hybrid molecule. The research results are promising for designing a photo-electrochromic device that modulates electromagnetic radiation in the visible range of the spectrum.