Efficient Light Emitters in the Solid State: Synthesis, Aggregation‐Induced Emission, Electroluminescence, and Sensory Properties of Luminogens with Benzene Cores and Multiple Triarylvinyl Peripherals

Abstract

AbstractBenzene‐cored luminogens with multiple triarylvinyl units are designed and synthesized. These propeller‐shaped molecules are nonemissive when dissolved in good solvents, but become highly emissive when aggregated in poor solvents or in the solid state, showing the novel phenomenon of aggregation‐induced emission. Restriction of intramolecular motion is identified as the main cause for this effect. Thanks to their high solid‐state fluorescence quantum yields (up to unity) and high thermal and morphological stabilities, light‐emitting diodes with the luminogens as emitters give sky‐blue to greenish‐blue light in high luminance and efficiencies of 10800 cd m−2, 5.8 cd A−1, and 2.7%, respectively. The emissions of the nanoaggregates of the luminogens can be quenched exponentially by picric acid, or selectively by Ru3+, with quenching constants up to 105 and ∼2.0 × 105 L mol−1, respectively, making them highly sensitive (and selective) chemosensors for explosives and metal ions.