Crown ether styryl dyes: 22. Synthesis and complexation of the cis-isomers of photochromic aza-15-crown-5 ethers

New crown ether-containing styryl dyes of the benzothiazole series containing an aza-15-crown-5-ether moiety were synthesized. Thetrans-cis-photoisomerization of these dyes and their analogs was studied; the effect of metal cations on the kinetics of darkcis-trans-isomerization was elucidated. The stability constants of the complexes of thecis-isomers of these dyes with Ca(ClO4)2 were estimated. The dramatic increase (by more than three orders of magnitude) in the stability of the complexes on passing from a cationic dye to a betaine was attributed to the formation of an intramolecular bond in thecis-complexes between the sulfo group of theN-substituent and the metal cation located in the cavity of the azacrown-ether moiety.