Spiropyran compounds

Abstract

The present invention provides a spiropyran compound represented by the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is alkyl having 1 to 20 carbon atoms or aralkyl, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are the same or different and are each a hydrogen atom, alkyl having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, aryl or aralkyl, alkoxyl having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, halogen atom, cyano, trichloromethyl, trifluoromethyl or nitro, R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 are the same or different and are each a hydrogen atom, alkyl having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, aryl or aralkyl, halogen atom, cyano or nitro, X is an oxygen atom or sulfur atom, Y is Se or (CH.sub.3).sub.2 C<, Z is ##STR2## and X is a sulfur atom when Y is (CH.sub.3).sub.2 C<. The spiropyran compound of the present invention itself is usable as a material such as recording material, photosensitive material, optical filter or decorative material. The present compound can further be homopolymerized or copolymerized with other polymerizable compound into a high polymer spiropyran compound for application to optical devices or dynamic devices.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.