Solvatochromism of new tetraphenylethene luminogens: integration of aggregation-induced emission and conjugation-induced rigidity for emitting strongly in both solid and solution state

• Published in: RSC advances Vol. 14; no. 9; pp. 672 - 684
• Main Authors: Saddik, Abdelreheem A, Mohammed, Ahmed A. K, Talloj, Satish K, Kamal El-Dean, Adel M, Younis, Osama
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Royal Society of Chemistry 14-02-2024
• Subjects: Analogs; Biocompatibility; Charge transfer; Conjugation; Emission; Mathematical analysis; Quantum chemistry; Rigidity; Synthesis
• ISSN: 2046-2069; 2046-2069
• DOI: 10.1039/d4ra00719k

In this study, we synthesized and characterized four tetraphenylethene (TPE) analogs, investigated their photophysical properties, and conducted quantum chemical calculations. Some molecules exhibited aggregation-induced emission enhancement behavior and showed efficient emission in both solid and solution states. Solvatochromism was observed in particular derivatives, with solvent polarity influencing either a bathochromic or hypsochromic shift, indicating the occurrence of photoinduced intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) processes. Quantum chemical calculations confirmed that variations in molecular packing and rigidity among the TPE analogs contributed to their diverse behavior. The study showcases aggregation in luminophores without significant impact on the excited state and highlights how minor alterations in terminal substituents can lead to unconventional behavior. These findings have implications for the development of luminescent materials. Furthermore, the synthesized compounds exhibited biocompatibility, suggesting their potential for cell imaging applications.
We synthesized and characterized TPE analogs, revealing AIE and solvatochromism. Quantum calculations confirmed diverse behavior due to molecular packing and rigidity. The compounds showed biocompatibility, suggesting potential for cell imaging.