Anionic polymerization of nonaromatic maleimide to achieve full-color nonconventional luminescence

Abstract

Nonconventional or nonconjugated luminophore without polycyclic aromatics or extended π-conjugation is a rising star in the area of luminescent materials. However, continuously tuning the emission color within a broad visible region via rational molecular design remains quite challenging because the mechanism of nonconventional luminescence is not fully understood. Herein, we present a new class of nonconventional luminophores, poly(maleimide)s (PMs), with full-color emission that can be finely regulated by anionic polymerization even at ambient temperature. Interestingly, the general characteristics of nonconventional luminescence, cluster-triggered emission, e.g., concentration-enhanced emission, are not observed in PMs. Instead, PMs have features similar to aggregation-caused quenching due to boosted intra/inter-molecular charge transfer. Such a biocompatible luminescent material synthesized from a low-cost monomer shows great prospects in large-scale production and applications, including security printing, fingerprint identification, metal ion recognition, etc. It also provides a new platform of rational molecular design to achieve full-color nonconventional luminescence without any aromatics.

Tunable Multicolor Luminescence Polyglycidol-Acrylates: One-Pot Preparation and Properties

“…In the area of multicolor luminescence, conventional fluorescent materials have produced impressive results. − In recent years, some unconventional fluorescent materials that do not contain conventional fluorescent chromophores have received increasing attention. − Unlike conventional conjugated fluorescent materials, these unconventional fluorescent materials have good hydrophilicity, easy preparation, environmental friendliness, and good biocompatibility and have wider practical application prospects, especially in the biomedical field. However, multicolor emission research is still in its infancy for unconventional fluorescent polymers. − Zhang’s group prepared a series of nonconjugated aliphatic polyesters from the copolymerization of epoxide and anhydride, and the fluorescence emission was accompanied by a significant red-shift by modulating the anhydride structure to change the secondary structure of these polyesters from a helical to a straight folded sheet structure. , Multicolor fluorescence can result from changes in the external environment in addition to structurally controlled multicolor fluorescence. − Tang’s group reported the optical properties of poly [(maleic anhydride)-alt-(vinyl acetate)], which exhibited a solventized color development: in electron-rich solvents, both absorption and emission were significantly red-shifted due to the formation of polymer/solvent complex . Qu’s group reports a supramolecular poly­(disulfides) network with tunable clusteroluminescence based on dynamic covalent disulfide bonding and reticulated hydrogen bonding.…”

Facile Assembly Strategy for Luminescent Lanthanide Nanoparticles with Antibacterial Activity Using Aggregation-Inducing Emission Polymers

“…Traditional fluorescent polymers were facing an intractable problemthe aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) effectuntil Tang’s group noticed the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) effect in 2001, which explains the principle of aggregation luminescence. As more researchers pay attention to the effect, the AIE mechanisms have also been integrated, including restriction intramolecular motion (RIM), intramolecular coplanarity (IC), restriction of E/Z isomerization (RI), forming aggregates or special excimer compounds, and clusterization-triggered emission (CTE). − In 2019, Tu and his team put forward a new mechanistic model for heteroatom-containing AIE systems, and then they immediately summarized the mechanistic connotations of RIM. , …”

Tuning the Luminescence of Polyacrylonitriles by Controlled Polymerization

“…As one of the few reports on utilizing CRP for NCLPs synthesis, recently, Zhang and coworkers demonstrated for poly(maleimide)s full-color luminescence. 25 In our study, for the first time, we have altered the photophysical properties of NCLPs by utilizing different radical polymerization methods. We have used PAN as a typical NCLP model polymer.…”