Achieving AIE from ACQ in positional isomeric triarylmethanes

Abstract

Tuning photophysical properties by a small structural change in triarylmethane (TAM) derivatives has always been a centre of attention because of their distinguished and extensive applications in the dye and medicinal industries and in the development of organic functional materials. Here, we report two new isomeric TAM derivatives, which show drastic differences in fluorescence properties in the solid state. The usual ‘aggregation caused quenching’ (ACQ) is overcome by a change in the substitution position in naphthalene derivatives, leading to the much desired ‘aggregation induced emission’ (AIE). Such drastic dependence of photophysics on positions in TAM derivatives indicates a largely unexplored area of research to obtain solid-state emitting materials based on TAM.