Sixteen novel derivatives of naphthacenequinone with different transfer groups, substituents and biphenoxy were designed and synthesized. Their structures were characterized by FTIR, NMR and MS spectra and their photochromic properties were studied by UV-Vis spectra. The results show that the structures of compounds have significant effect on their photochromic properties, e.g. compounds with aromatic transfer group have excellent photochromic properties; compounds with substituent attached to the naphthacenequinone give rise to the bathochromic shift in the maximum absorption wavelength; the molar extinction coefficient of diphenoxynaphthacenequinone is larger than that of corresponding phenoxynaphthacenequinone compound; the rate constants of compound is decreased with the increase of the number of substituent group on the phenyl.

Key words: phenoxynaphthacenequinone, photochromism, synthesis