Photochromic four-coordinate N,C-chelate boron compounds

Four-coordinate organoboron compounds with a N,C-chelate backbone have been found recently to display an unusual photoisomerization phenomenon with a distinct change of color. The photoisomerization process is thermally reversible, enabling the potential use of this class of compounds as a new class of photo-responsive materials. This review provides an account of our recent investigation on the effect of substitution, π-conjugation and metal chelation on the photoisomerization process of the N,C-chelate organoboron compounds. The photoisomerization phenomenon of azobenzene-based organoboron compounds will also be presented.

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► Photoisomerization of azobenzene organoboron compounds.
► Photochromic phenyl-pyridyl (ppy) chelate boron compounds, the role of the mesityl groups, substitution and π-conjugation effect.
► Alternative photoisomerization pathways in photochromic B-ppy compounds.
► Polyboryl systems and heterocyclic chelate systems.
► Impact of metal chelation on photoisomerization.