Robust photochromic compounds with silicon- or phosphorus-containing heterocyclic ring and the production thereof

A photochromic compound selected from one of

• wherein
• C and D are heterocyclic groups that are cyclizable by irradiation with light to form cyclohexadiene ring for tuning the optical properties, wherein C and D have the formula (IV) or (V):
• wherein
• E is C—R3 or N;
• E′ comprises at least one heteroatom, selected from 8, SO2, O, Se and NR4;
• R1 is an alkyl group, alkoxy group, halogen atom or trifluoromethyl group, R2 and R3 are independently an atoms or groups selected from the group of hydrogen atom, halogen atom, hydroxyl group, alkyl group, alkynyl group, alkoxy group, cyano group, nitro group, alkylcarbonyl group, alkoxycarbonyl group, perfluoroalkyl group, aryl group, cycloalkyl group, arylcarbonyl group, aryloxycarbonyl group, diarylamino group, dialkylamino group, mono- or dialkylaminocarbonyl group, alkylcarbonyloxy group, arylcarbonyloxy group, aryloxy group, alkoxycarbonyl group, and aryloxycarbonyloxy group, and R4 is a hydrogen atom or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, aryl or cycloalkyl group;
• wherein:
• Z comprises at least one heteroatom selected from S, SO2, O, Se and NR4;
• R1 is an alkyl group, alkoxy group, halogen atom or trifluoromethyl group, R4 is a hydrogen atom or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, aryl or cycloalkyl group;
• Ring F comprises cyclic structure derivatives where the cyclic structures are independently selected from a 5- or 6-membered arene, heteroacene or heterocycle, the arene, heteroacene or heterocycle being one or more selected from benzene, pyridine, thiophene, furan, pyrazole, imidazole, oxazole, isoxazole, thiazole, isothiazole, isoquioline, pyrrole, pyrazine, pyridazine, pyrimidine, benzimidazole, benzofuran, benzothiazole, indole, naphthalene, anthracene, pyrene, triazole, tetrazole, pyran, thiapyran, oxadiazole, triazine, tetrazine, carbazole, dibenzothiophene, dibenzofuran, fluorene and derivatives thereof;
• and
• Ring F can be unsubstituted or can be substituted with one or more alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkylaryl, cycloalkyl, haloformyl, hydroxyl, aldehyde, carboxamide, amine, amino, alkoxy, azo, benzyl, carbonate ester, carboxylate, carboxyl, ketoamine, isocyanate, isocyanide, isothiocyanate, nitrile, nitro, nitroso, phosphine, phosphate, phosphono, pyridyl, sulfonyl, sulfo, sulfinyl, sulfhydryl, halo, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl or a heterocyclic group, and additionally, or alternatively, any two adjacent substituted positions of ring F together form, independently, a fused 5- or 6-membered cyclic group, wherein the said cyclic group is cycloalkyl, cycloheteroalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl, and wherein the fused 5- to 6-membered cyclic group may be substituted with one or more of alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkylaryl, cycloalkyl, haloformyl, hydroxyl, aldehyde, carboxamide, amine, amino, alkoxy, azo, benzyl, carbonate ester, carboxylate, carboxyl, ketamine, isocyanate, isocyanide, isothiocyanate, nitrile, nitro, nitroso, phosphine, phosphate, phosphono, pyridyl, sulfonyl, sulfo, sulfinyl, sulfhydryl, halo, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl or a heterocyclic group;
• R, R′, R″ are independently atoms or groups selected from the group of hydrogen atom, halogen atom, hydroxyl group, alkyl group, alkynyl group, alkoxy group, cyano group, nitro group, alkylcarbonyl group, alkoxycarbonyl group, perfluoroalkyl group, aryl group, cycloalkyl group, arylcarbonyl group, aryloxycarbonyl group, diarylamino group, dialkylamino group, mono- or dialkylaminocarbonyl group, alkylcaronyloxy group, arylcarbonyloxy group, aryloxy group, alkoxycarbonyl group, and aryloxycarbonyloxy group;
• E″ refers to atoms or groups selected from O, BH3, BL3, S, Se, CH3, SR, R, WL5, CrL5, MnL5, MoL5, ReL5, PtL3, PdL3, CuL3, CuL, RuL5 IrL5 FeL4 RhL3, RhL5, CoL3, NiL3, AgL, AgL3, or AuL where R or L is independently alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkylaryl, cycloalkyl, haloformyl, hydroxyl, aldehyde, carboxamide, amine, amino, alkoxy, azo, benzyl, carbonate ester, carboxylate, carboxyl, ketoamine, isocyanate, isocyanide, isothiocyanate, nitrile, nitro, nitroso, phosphine, phosphate, phosphono, pyridyl, sulfonyl, sulfo, sulfinyl, sulfhydryl, halo, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl or a heterocyclic group;
• Y and Y′ are independently selected from CR2, S, SO2, O, Se and NR′, where R is an atom or group selected from the group of hydrogen atom, halogen atom, hydroxyl group, alkyl group, alkynyl group, alkoxy group, cyano group, nitro group, alkylcarbonyl group, alkoxycarbonyl group, perfluoroalkyl group, aryl group, cycloalkyl group, arylcarbonyl group, aryloxycarbonyl group, diarylamino group, dialkylamino group, mono- or dialkylaminocarbonyl group, alkylcaronyloxy group, arylcarbonyloxy group, aryloxy group, alkoxycarbonyl group, and aryloxycarbonyloxy group, and R4 is a hydrogen atom or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, aryl or cycloalkyl group.