Synthesis of dihydroindolizines for potential photoinduced work function alteration

Seeking to immobilize photochromophores on metallic surfaces, we have synthesized four molecules which contain both a photoresponsive dihydroindolizine (DHI) core and a sulfur containing moiety, which allow for their assembly onto gold substrates. Sonogashira, Suzuki, or Ullmann couplings are employed to generate pyridines with pendant thioacetates (or disulfides). The pyridines are condensed with spiro[2-cyclopropene-1,9′-[9H]fluorene]-2,3-dimethyl ester affording the targeted DHIs.