Issue 14, 2016

Aggregation-induced emission enhancement and mechanofluorochromic properties of α-cyanostilbene functionalized tetraphenyl imidazole derivatives

Abstract

Three tetraphenyl imidazole derivatives functionalized by an α-cyanostilbene unit (3a–3c) have been designed and synthesized. A combination of the representative aggregation-induced emission enhancement fluorophore and propeller sharp tetraphenyl imidazole unit in the same molecule achieved the integration of their function. 3a–3c emitted weakly in dilute organic solvents and showed an evident solvatochromic effect caused by strong intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), which has been confirmed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Meanwhile, in the solid state, they exhibited obvious fluorescence and stimuli-responsive emission. The main emission peak of compound 3a was red-shifted from 519 nm to 550 nm after grinding. The reason could be explained that the destruction of the crystalline structure leads to the planarization of molecular conformation or the increase of conjugation.

Graphical abstract: Aggregation-induced emission enhancement and mechanofluorochromic properties of α-cyanostilbene functionalized tetraphenyl imidazole derivatives

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
15 Oct 2015
Accepted
15 Dec 2015
First published
15 Dec 2015

J. Mater. Chem. C, 2016,4, 2971-2978

Author version available

Aggregation-induced emission enhancement and mechanofluorochromic properties of α-cyanostilbene functionalized tetraphenyl imidazole derivatives

Y. Zhang, H. Li, G. Zhang, X. Xu, L. Kong, X. Tao, Y. Tian and J. Yang, J. Mater. Chem. C, 2016, 4, 2971 DOI: 10.1039/C5TC03348A

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