A Light-Driven Switch Based on Photochromic Dihydroindolizines

A molecular switching device based on a photochromic dihydroindolizine (DHI) with non-destructive read-out capacity (see Figure for a schematic representation of the erasable dual-mode optical switch) is presented. Two different DHIs based on a pyridazine and a chinoline heterocycle have been investigated and the results show that these systems can be of potential use for non-destructive readout optical memory.