Triphenylethylene-based fluorophores: Facile preparation and full-color emission in both solution and solid states

• Published in: Dyes and pigments Vol. 132; pp. 282 - 290
• Main Authors: Wen, Wei, Shi, Zi-Fa, Cao, Xiao-Ping, Xu, Nian-Sheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2016
• Subjects: Absorption; Chemical compounds; Density functional theory; Emission; Energy gap; Fluorescence; Full-color emission; Materials science; Mathematical analysis; Solid state; Solid-state luminescence; Triphenylethylene; Fluorescence; Materials science; Solid-state luminescence; Full-color emission; Triphenylethylene
• ISSN: 0143-7208; 1873-3743
• DOI: 10.1016/j.dyepig.2016.04.014

A series of triphenylethylene-based luminophoric molecules were efficiently synthesized. The substituent effect of the fluorophores on their photophysical properties was then investigated. Consequently, it was found that longer conjugated system and larger molecular dipole of the donor–π–acceptor fluorophores could result in bathochromic shifts of UV–vis absorption and emission bands, so do the Stokes shifts. Especially, full-color fluorescent emissions in both solution and solid states could be achieved by changing conjugation length and substituents with different electron-donating or accepting abilities in the triphenylethylene skeleton. The density functional theory calculations further demonstrated that with the increase of the electron-donating or accepting abilities of the substituents, the energy gaps of the fluorophores gradually decreased, which elucidated the substituent effect of the organic fluorophores on their photophysical properties. Tunable fluorescent emission. A series of triphenylethylene-based luminophoric molecules with full-color fluorescent emissions in both solution and solid states were efficiently synthesized. [Display omitted] •A series of triphenylethylene-based luminophoric molecules were synthesized by a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination or an Knoevenagel condensation reaction.•The fluorophores exhibit fluorescent emission in both solution and solid states.•The fluorescent emission wavelength could cover the entire visible spectral region.