Synthesis of an Acidochromic and Nitroaromatic Responsive Hydrazone-Linked Pillararene Framework by a Macrocycle-To-Framework Strategy.

Abstract

Tailoring the properties of solid-state organic luminescent materials using a bottom-up design principle is highly desirable for many applications. Herein, we present a "macrocycle-to-framework" strategy to construct macrocycle-functionalized and hydrazone-linked functional organic polymers with bright yellowish-green luminescence and unique solvatochromism behaviors by the condensation of a diacylhydrazine-functionalized pillar[5]arene with tris(4-formylbiphenyl)amine. Outperforming their non-macrocycle-incorporated counterparts, the pillar[5]arene-containing materials display amplified sensitivity to acidic conditions with luminescent and colorimetric dual-modal patterns assisted by the enhanced intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), and exhibit satisfactory responsiveness to nitrobenzene compounds through rapid luminescence quenching with high selectivity and a low detection limit, where the sensing process proceeds through multiple dynamic quenching pathways.