Aggregation Induced Emission of 9,10-Distrylanthracene Derivatives: Molecular Design and Applications

Abstract

The development of efficient luminescent materials in the solid state is of great interest for their potential applications. An inevitable obstacle of their development is the notorious aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ), i.e., the emission is often quenched in the solid state. Since Tang et al. first demonstrated the unique phenomenon of aggregation induced emission (AIE) in 2001, molecules with such properties started to draw more and more attentions. Among the AIE molecules, 9,10-distyrylanthrance (DSA) and its derivatives become very important luminogens, which possessing typical AIE behavior: weaken emission in solution, whereas boost and enhance emission in aggregate state. The restricted intramolecular rotation was demonstrated to be the origin of AIE properties in DSA derivatives. Herein we present the current aspects of the AIE properties of DSA and its derivatives, paying particular attention to the molecule system and their applications in solid state emitter, stimuli-responses, fluorescent sensors and bioimaging.