Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon‐based Soft Materials: Applications in Fluorescent Detection, Gelation, AIEE and Mechanochromism

Abstract

The present review discusses selected compounds based on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); mainly those containing naphthalene, anthracene, fluorene, pyrene, triphenylene and perylene rings. The focus has been placed to highlight both properties and applications of such PAHcontaining compounds in gelation, aggregation-induced enhanced emission (AIEE) and mechanochromism as well as in fluorescence sensing of assorted analytes.

Cholesterol-appended cyanostyryl thiophene positional isomers with multistimuli responsive emission switching and liquid crystalline properties

“…32–34 For achieving molecular systems with multistimuli responsive emission switching, various strategies including the modification of the molecular structure or functional groups have been adopted. 35,36 Apart from the structural modifications involving tedious synthetic steps, isomerism has been utilized for generating stimuli responsive molecular assemblies. 37,38 Previous studies have shown that a subtle modification of the structure and functional group of the luminophore can result in visibly different solid state emission properties along with stimuli responsive emission.…”

Mechanofluorochromic Properties of 1,4-Diphenylanthracene Derivatives with Hypsochromic Shift

“…Organic solid-state light-emitting materials have received significant attention for their applications in light-emitting diodes (LEDs) [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ], lasers [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ], and optical waveguides [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Mechanofluorochromic materials, which are solid organic light-emitting materials that change their luminous color upon mechanical stimuli by crushing or grinding, have attracted attention for their applications in security inks, memory chips, and pressure sensors [ 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. Numerous organic mechanofluorochromic materials have been reported, including metal complexes [ 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ], anthracene derivatives [ 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 ,…”

AIE-active non-planar phenothiazine-based derivatives with mechanical-induced emission enhancement characteristics

“…, due to their excellent reversible dynamic and quick visually-detected response toward external light, temperature, pressure, and/or pH stimulus, and so on. 1–7 Moreover, among these smart stimuli-responsive luminescent materials, mechanofluorochromic (MFC) materials have gained wide attention on account of their luminescence properties which can be reversibly changed using external mechanical forces, which is potentially applicable in pressure sensors, optical storage, security paper, etc. with low cost and simple operation.…”