SYNTHESIS AND SOLID-STATE STRUCTURE OF THE UNSYMMETRICAL SQUARAINE DYE TYLAMINO)PHENYL]-CYCLOBUTENEBIS(YLIUM)-1,3-DIOLATE

The synthesis of an unsymmetrical squarine dye, tylamino)phenyl]cyclob utenebis(ylium)-1,3-diolate, has been achieved via a cross condensatio n reaction. In the solid state the compound is isomorphous with the kn own symmetrical dye bis[4-(dibutylamino)phenyl]squarine. The single hy droxy group is found to be disordered equally over the entrosymmetrica lly trans-related ortho and ortho' phenyl ring sites.