Acid/base-switched solid-state fluorochromism and excitation-wavelength-dependent fluorescence color tuning have been demonstrated using an ESIPT fluorophore with a switchable intramolecular hydrogen bond.

An excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) fluorophore, 2,6-bis(benzothiazol-2-yl)phenol, was modified with alkoxy groups at the 4-position to obtain the methoxy (OMe), ethoxy (OEt), propoxy (OPr), and butoxy (OBt) derivatives. The derivatives exhibit bright red fluorescence in chloroform, giving the same fluorescence spectra with a maximum (λ max ) at 619 nm. However, in the crystalline state, the λ max values of OMe and OEt are bathochromically shifted, producing a deeper red color, whereas those of OPr and OBt are hypsochromically shifted producing an orange color. X-ray analysis of the OMe and OPr crystals shows that OMe molecules interact strongly with each other through sulfur-sulfur contacts, whereas the OPr molecules are stacked in an eclipsed arrangement. Assuming that the OMe and OPr crystals are J-and H-aggregates, respectively, the difference in solid-state fluorescence could be explained by the Davydov exciton coupling theory. The OEt derivative was the best solid-state red fluorophore (λ max = 633 nm) with a fluorescence quantum yield of 0.32. Therefore, ESIPT fluorophores are promising for developing a highly efficient solid-state red-emitting material with relatively small π-conjugation and no bulky groups.

Zinc(ii)-quinoxaline complexes, [Zn(hqxc)(2)(py)(2)] and [Zn(hqxc)(2)(DMSO)(2)] (hqxc = 3-hydroxy-2-quinoxalinecarboxylate, py = pyridine, DMSO = dimethyl sulfoxide), were prepared and characterized by X-ray crystallography and fluorescence spectroscopy. In both complexes, the zinc ion is six-coordinated by two equatorial bidentate hqxc ligands with an intramolecular hydrogen bond and two axial monodentate ligands such as pyridine or DMSO. In spite of similar coordination geometries, there is a remarkable difference between their solid-state fluorescent properties. The pyridine complex is strongly fluorescent (fluorescence quantum yield Phi = 0.22), giving rise to a significantly Stokes-shifted spectrum. From its thin film photopumped by a nitrogen gas laser, amplified spontaneous emission was observed. These results suggest that the fluorescence occurs by way of excited-state intramolecular proton-transfer (ESIPT) in the hydrogen bond of hqxc. On the other hand, the DMSO complex shows fluorescent intensity (Phi = 0.08) lower than that of the pyridine complex, and shows normal emission in addition to ESIPT emission. From IR measurements for these complexes, it is concluded that axial ligands influence the hydrogen bond strength of the equatorial hqxc ligand via zinc and thus the ESIPT efficiency.

In bulk materials, positional isomers not only help in understanding how slight difference in molecular structure alters the crystal packing and optical properties, but also play a key role in developing new type of materials for functional applications. A detailed study on the photophysical properties of fluorene-HBT positional isomers in solution and in the solid state providing a molecular level understanding of the factors which influence fluorescence behavior is reported. Two molecules Ia and IIa were synthesized by Suzuki coupling reaction and their photophysical properties were compared to positional isomers Ib and IIb. Crystal structure analyses and density functional theory (DFT) computation studies were performed to understand structure-properties relation and the results reveal that changing substitution pattern has a marked influence on their packing modes and luminescence properties. Strong noncovalent interactions (π-π) in the solid state hamper the excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process which causes fluorescence quenching in the solid state (Ia and IIa = Φ, 28-40%; Ib and IIb = Φ, 55-67%). Compounds show solvent-responsive and aggregation induced emission (AIE) properties. Bent structures of Ia with double and symmetric substitution of ESIPT motifs exhibit particularly unique condensed phase upon heating, confirmed as a nematic liquid crystalline phase, and this is the first report on the ESIPT and AIE active liquid crystalline materials with a banana-shaped molecule.

A quinoxalinone derivative capable of lactam-lactim tautomerization was designed as a new fluorescence probe for sensing of cation (M(+) = Li(+) and Na(+)) and anion (X(-) = F(-), Cl(-), Br(-), and CH3COO(-)) in organic solvents. In THF, the minor lactam tautomer exhibited a weak fluorescence band at 425 nm with a typical Stokes shift of ∼4400 cm(-1), whereas the major lactim tautomer exhibited an intense fluorescence band at 520 nm with large Stokes shift of ∼8900 cm(-1) due to excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT). The presence of either cations or anions was found to promote lactim-to-lactam conversion, resulting in the lowering of the ESIPT fluorescence. The lone pairs on the alkylamide oxygen and the quinoxalinone ring nitrogen of the lactam were found to bind Li(+) to form a 1:2 coordination complex, which was confirmed by single crystal X-ray structural analysis and fluorescent titrations. In addition, the N-H bond of the lactam was able to recognize anions via N-H···X hydrogen bonding interactions. Where X = F(-) or CH3COO(-), further addition of these anions caused deprotonation of the lactam to generate an anionic state, consistent with the crystal structure of the anion prepared by mixing tetrabutylammonium fluoride and the quinoxalinone derivative in THF. Dual cation-anion-sensing responses were found to depend on the ion-recognition procedure. The anionic quinoxalinone derivative and its Li(+) complex, which are formed by the addition of CH3COO(-) and Li(+), respectively, displayed different fluorescence enhancement behavior due to the two anions exchanging with each other.