The reaction of 2-methylbenzo[1,3]oxazine with julolidine-9-carbaldehyde under acid catalysis afforded an highly coloured blue dye with an intense absorption at 591 nm. NMR and UV-Vis analysis showed that this compound has an opened oxazine structure with a polymethine-type chromophore, corresponding to a protonated thermally stable coloured form of photochromic benzo[1,3]oxazines that are known to be unstable at room temperature with lifetimes in the ns timescale. In basic medium this dye is converted into a stable opened zwitterionic form of photochromic benzo[1,3]oxazines with two absorption maxima at 410 and 587 nm assigned to conjugated 3H-indolium and 4-nitrophenolate chromophores respectively.
