2,2′-Spirobis[chromene] Derivatives Chemistry and Their Relation with the Multistate System of Anthocyanins

The chemistry of 2,2′-spirobis[chromene] derivatives is intimately related to the one of anthocyanins and similar compounds. The 2,2′-spirobis[chromene] species plays a central role in the network of chemical reactions connecting two different flavylium-based multistate systems. In the present work, a new asymmetric 2,2′-spirobis[chromene] intermediate possessing a constrained propylenic bridge between carbons 3 and 3′ was isolated and its role as a pivot in the anthocyanins-type multistate of chemical reactions was investigated by the conjugation of absorption spectroscopy, stopped-flow, NMR, and X-ray crystallography. It was confirmed that the propylenic bridge is essential to stabilize the spirobis[chromene] species. Furthermore, under acidic conditions, two cis-trans styrylflavylium isomers were identified, which could be interconverted directly into one another with light. This is the first report of styrylflavylium cations with photoisomerization on the styryl moiety.