Long-wavelength visible to near infrared photoluminescence from carbon-bridged styrylstilbene and thiadiazole conjugates in organic and aqueous media
Takeru Inoue, Makoto Tsurui, Hiroshi Yamagishi, Yuma Nakazawa, Naoto Hamaguchi, Shoya Watanabe, Yuichi Kitagawa, Yasuchika Hasegawa, Yohei Yamamoto, Hayato Tsuji
Abstract
Donor-acceptor-donor conjugates composed of electron-donating carbon-bridged styrylstilbene (COPV2) and electron-accepting thiadiazole derivatives equipped with carbazolyl (Cz) terminators, Cz-COPV2-A-COPV2-Cz (A = benzothiadiazole (BTz), naphthobis(thiadiazole) (NTz), or benzobis(thiadiazole) (BBTz)), were newly synthesized and found to serve as efficient and stable long-wavelength photoluminescent dyes in organic and aqueous media. In particular, Cz-COPV2-BBTz-COPV2-Cz showed photoluminescence in the near infrared region (895-927 nm) with a photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of up to 0.19 in cyclohexane and of 0.02-0.03 in THF/water mixtures. Its analogues with weaker acceptors, Cz-COPV2-BTz-COPV2-Cz and Cz-COPV2-NTz-COPV2-Cz, showed yellow to deep-red emission in organic solvents, with PLQYs of up to 0.71 in organic solvents and 0.45 in THF/water mixtures.