Hexaphenylbenzene-Based, π-Conjugated Snowflake-Shaped Luminophores: Tunable Aggregation-Induced Emission Effect and Piezofluorochromism.
In this work, two rigid, multiple tetraphenylethene (TPE)-substituted, π-conjugated, snowflake-shaped luminophores BT and BPT were facilely synthesized by using a 6-fold Suzuki coupling reaction. These molecules are constructed based on the nonplanar structure of propeller-shaped hexaphenylbenzene (HPB) or benzene as core groups and TPE as end groups. As a result, they reserve the intrinsic aggregation-induced emission (AIE) property of the TPE moiety. Meanwhile, both fluorescence quantum yield and piezochromic behavior in the solid state can be tuned or switched by inserting the phenyl bridges through changing the twisting conformation. The more extended structure BPT showed a much stronger AIE effect and higher ΦF,f in the solid state in comparison with that of BT. Furthermore, an excellent optical waveguide application of these molecules was achieved. However, the revisable piezofluorochromic behavior has only appeared when BT was ground using a pestle and treated with solvent.
Beijing Key Laboratory of Photoelectronic/Electrophotonic, Conversion Materials, Key Laboratory of Cluster Science of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, Beijing Institute of Technology, 5 South Zhongguancun Street, Beijing, 100081 (China).
Zheng-Feng
ZF
Chang
Beijing Key Laboratory of Photoelectronic/Electrophotonic, Conversion Materials, Key Laboratory of Cluster Science of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, Beijing Institute of Technology, 5 South Zhongguancun Street, Beijing, 100081 (China).
Ling-Min
LM
Jing
Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100190 (China).
Cong
C
Wei
College of Materials Science & Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, 5 South Zhongguancun Street, Beijing, 100081 (China).
Yu-Ping
YP
Dong
Beijing Key Laboratory of Photoelectronic/Electrophotonic, Conversion Materials, Key Laboratory of Cluster Science of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, Beijing Institute of Technology, 5 South Zhongguancun Street, Beijing, 100081 (China).
Yan-Chun
YC
Ye
Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100190 (China).
Yong Sheng
YS
Zhao
Beijing Key Laboratory of Photoelectronic/Electrophotonic, Conversion Materials, Key Laboratory of Cluster Science of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, Beijing Institute of Technology, 5 South Zhongguancun Street, Beijing, 100081 (China). jinlwang@bit.edu.cn.
Jin-Liang
JL
Wang
aggregation; fluorescence; ligands; luminescence; self-assembly