We have designed bichromophoric photochromes based on the photoinduced opening and thermal closing of a [1, 3] oxazine ring. In particular, we have synthesized six compounds incorporating fused 3 H-indole and 4-nitrophenoxy fragments and pendant biphenyl, styryl, biphenylvinyl, or stilbenylvinyl groups. The laser excitation of two of these six molecules cleaves a [CO] bond and opens their [1, 3] oxazine ring in less than 6 ns with quantum ...
