has been synthesized for the first time. It was shown that, unlike analogous derivatives of thieno [3,2-b]thiophene, on irradiation with UV light (λ = 313 nm) it did not display photochromic properties, but undergoes an irreversible photoconversion which is accompanied by the display of intense fluorescence. This raises the prospect of using this compound for creating an irreversible photoluminescent recording medium.It was shown previously that photochromic diarylethylenes, in which the perfluorocyclopentene bridge is linked with benzothiophene rings, undergo reversible photocyclization to a high degree [2,3]. In the creation of photochromes with condensed thienyl rings, we have synthesized dihetarylethylenes with thieno[3,2-b]pyrroles [4,5], thieno[3,2-b]thiophenes [6], and dithienothiophene [7] rings having various bridges. It was established that photochrome 1 (Scheme 1) with thieno[3,2-b]thiophene fragments [8] undergoes reversible photocyclization to a high degree and also possesses fluorescence of the open form. It therefore seemed of interest to investigate the photochromic properties of thieno[3,2-b]thiophene derivatives, also possessing a 10-π-electron system, formally analogous to that of benzo[b]thiophene, but with another type of linking the heterocycles. The latter, as is known, causes both a definite similarity and a difference of geometry, and also a difference of the chemical and physicochemical properties of the isomers [9].The synthesis of 1,2-bis{5-(2-benzothiazolyl)-2-ethylthieno[2,3-b]thiophen-3-yl}hexafluorocyclo-pentene (2) was effected according to Scheme 2 starting from 5-ethyl-2-thiophthenecarboxylic acid.4-Bromo-5-ethyl-2-thiophthenecarboxylic acid (3) is formed in 82% yield by the action of an excess of bromine in CHCl 3 on thiophthenecarboxylic acid, and 5-(2-benzothiazolyl)-3-bromo-2-ethylthieno[2,3-b]-thiophene (4) was obtained by the reaction of 3 with o-aminothiophenol in N-methylpyrrolidone by the _______ * For Part 20 see [1]. * 2 Dedicated to V. I. Minkin on his 70th birthday. __________________________________________________________________________________________