Themed collection Shape-Responsive Fluorophores

Guest editors Ben Zhong Tang and Kyril M. Solntsev introduce this Journal of Materials Chemistry C themed issue on shape-responsive fluorophores.

In this Highlight, we summarize some recent advances in the area of red to near-infrared fluorescent AIE-active organic materials via tailoring the building block of quinoline-malononitrile (QM), and its application in bioimaging.

Twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) is an electron transfer process that occurs upon photoexcitation in molecules that usually consist of a donor and acceptor part linked by a single bond.

Aggregation-induced emission molecules based nanopharmaceuticals enable to not only deliver the therapeutic agents, but also decipher their innate intracellular or subcellular behaviours.

Dual-emission fluorescent dyes provide an internal calibration reference that enables quantification of a fluorescent signal. This review summarizes the rational design and application of such radiometric dyes.

Macrocyclic host assisted modulations in the fluorescence and acid–base properties of organic chromophoric dyes and their possible applications are reviewed comprehensively.

This review summarizes the recent progress in the field of blue AIEgens, mainly focusing on design strategies to control the intramolecular conjugation effect and to realize blue emission.

A review on the recent developments of boron based shape and stimuli sensitive functional luminescent materials is presented.

In this study, soft clay chromophore hybrids were used to demonstrate a photo-modification strategy, in which one white light standard can be converted into another via in situ generation of a blue emitting chromophore.

Proton transfer from a photoacid generator to a halochromic molecular switch within a polymer film permits the imprinting of fluorescent patterns under the influence of optical stimulations.

Fluorogenic chromophore–protein pairs were predicted by molecular docking and validated experimentally.

Nanospheres work similar to Hoberman spheres that undergo significant temperature-induced shape changes revealing large pores (holes) through which drugs released.

Fluorescence behavior of 5,10-disubstituted [5]helicene derivatives is sensitive to the type of substituent and the motif of self-assembly in the solution phase.

We present here a novel fluorescent molecular rotor which presents vapochromism, aggregation-induced emission, and environmental sensing in living cells.

The wavelength of excimer formation and efficiency of an OLED device were controlled through the change of the center position of the triple-core chromophore.

Aggregation-induced emission of dimethyl tetraphenylsilole is due to restricted access to a conical intersection. The intersection allows for radiationless decay in solution but is not reachable in the aggregate phase.

Herein, we report the incorporation in DNA of a tailored dual emissive probe with exquisite sensitivity to hydration.

Herein, we report on the synthesis, self-assembly, as well as the photophysical properties of a novel series of P-benzylated phosphole-lipids.

Most of the conjugates exhibited aggregation-induced emission enhancement, probably involving a unusual type of excimer.

Twisted tetraphenyl imidazole derivatives functionalized by α-cyanostilbene possess aggregation-induced emission enhancement and mechanochromic luminescence properties.

A push–pull dye with AIE polymorphism-dependent properties shows mechano-, thermo- and chrono-chromism associated with stimuli-induced surface structural defects.

A series of thermoresponsive aggregation-induced emission polymers with fine-tuned hydrophilicity are synthesized as fluorescent thermometers with tunable response temperature.

The photophysics of three benzothiazole derivatives that exhibit excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) were investigated in a confined medium afforded by the water soluble supramolecular host octaacid (OA).

A facile method is developed to synthesize π-conjugated polymer nanoparticles of propoxy-sulfonated poly(p-phenylene) polyelectrolyte (PPP-SO).

The effect of solvent, pH and metal ion on the morphology and optical properties of a carboxylic-acid derivative was researched.

Fluorescent solvatochromic dyes and molecular rotors have attracted considerable attention as fluorogenic probes because of background-free detection of biomolecules in live cells in no-wash conditions.

The ultrafast hydrogen bond breaking and reformation dynamics at the carbonyl site of a coumarin 102 dye molecule in ethanol is captured by femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy (FSRS) on the femtosecond and picosecond timescales.

Anionic phospholipids in liposomes can be used to fine-tune membrane-anchored dye pK_a by up to 1 pH unit.

Oligothiophene-based liquid crystals having a wide luminescent color variation exhibit reversible luminescent color changes induced by mechanical shearing and subsequent aging at ambient temperature.

The crystallization of weakly fluorescent 4-amino-2,2′-bipyridine (AMBPY) in solution phase under ambient conditions afforded three conformational polymorphs possessing enhanced emission.

Acceptor aryl groups at the 8-position of 2′-deoxyguanosine (dG) generate visibly emissive 8aryldG probes, which provide viscosity-sensing applications within oligonucleotides.

A new fluorescent probe based on AIE and ESIPT was developed. With the aid of different reactivity, a kinetically resolved method was successfully applied to distinguish different biothiols both in solution and cells.

Triphenylamine-functionalized tetraphenylpyrazines were facilely prepared and their multi-functional properties were thoroughly investigated.

Multiresponsive luminescence and photochemical activity (Z/E isomerization and/or photodimerization) in solution and in the liquid crystal phase are reported with dicyanodistyryl-based molecules.

We demonstrate that red emitting BODIPY dyes structurally similar to ‘molecular rotors’ are sensitive to environmental temperature rather than viscosity.

We report how electrostatic interactions significantly impact charge transfer at CdTe QDs/fullerene interfaces.

Star-shaped tetraphenylethene derivatives containing electron-donor and acceptor groups are synthesized and utilized in solution-processed nondoped OLEDs.

Electron-donating functionalities allow modulation of the emission properties of diketopyrrolopyrroles.

Nine 1,3,6,8-tetraarylpyrenes were prepared and characterized for OLED-based blue-light emission.

A mixed polymerized liposome discriminates fatty acids depending on their overall shape and with a discrete binding stoichiometry.

Indene-1,3-dionemethylene-4H-pyran derivatives exhibiting alkoxy-chain-length-dependent optical properties.

Two types of crystals are gained from the β-iminoenolate boron complex, and the molecular packing mode can be memorized during mechanofluorochromic processes.

Bodipy–ferrocene dyads were prepared for reversible electrochemical switching of the singlet excited state (fluorescence), as well as the triplet excited states of Bodipy.

AIEgens for real-time naked-eye sensing of hydrazine in solution and on a paper substrate are reported with a structure-dependent signal output and selectivity.

A dual responsive probe capable of generating two different responses upon reacting with thiols and H₂O₂ in a highly selective manner was developed.