Design and Synthesis of Spiropyrans for Molecular Electronics

Molecular electronics is the fabrication and measuring of electronic transport properties and associated phenomena of molecules. Synthetic chemists have the requisite skills to impart functionality to molecules allowing the fullest expression of molecular electronics that will complement complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology. This work describes studies on the synthesis of spiropyrans suitable for single-molecule junctions, organometallic complex chemistry, and large-area ensembles. Each chapter in this thesis is of practical importance for characterising molecular junctions containing the spiropyran moiety. Designing and synthesising molecules suitable for molecular electronics is fundamental for this growing field.