Host–Guest Complexation‐Induced Aggregation Based on Pyrene‐Modified Cyclodextrins for Improved Electronic Circular Dichroism and Circularly Polarized Luminescence

Abstract

Several γ‐cyclodextrin (CD) derivatives mono‐ or di‐substituted by pyrenes at the primary rim of the CD were demonstrated to aggregate into nano‐strips in aqueous solutions, with the pyrene moieties interpenetrating into γ‐CD cavities. The hydrophobic complexation‐induced aggregation provides a rigid chiral environment for the pyrenes and leads to significant electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) activities, giving unprecedently high gabs and glum values up to 4.3×10−2 and 5.3×10−2, respectively. The aggregates lead to excimer emission with high quantum yields and show BCPL and BiCPL up to 338. 6 M−1 cm−1 and 169.3 M−1 cm−1, respectively.