Unexpected Photoluminescence of Fluorinated Naphthalene Diimides

Naphthalenediimides with High Fluorescence Quantum Yield: Bright-Red, Stable, and Responsive Fluorescent Dyes

The naphthalenediimide (NDI) scaffold in contrast to its higher congeners possess low-fluorescence. In spite of elegant synthetic developments, a highly emissive NDI is quite rare to find, as well as, a green-light-emitting NDI is yet to be explored. Herein, we report a novel class of symmetric and asymmetric NH₂ -substituted core-NDIs (1-5) with tunable fluorescence in the visible region and extending to the NIR frontier. Importantly, the bis-NH₂ -substituted NDI 2 revealed quantum yield, Φ f of ≈81 and ≈68 % in toluene and DMSO, respectively, suggesting versatility of the fluorophore in a wide range of solvent polarity. The dye 1 is shown to be the first NDI-based green-light emitter. The donor piperidine group in 5 diminish the Φ f by 40-fold providing a lever to modulate the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process. Our synthetic protocol applies a Pd catalyst and a benign hydride source simplifying the non-trivial -NH₂ group integration at the NDI-core. TD-DFT calculations predicted strong intramolecular hydrogen bonds in the excited state in the bulk nonpolar medium and responsiveness to solvent polarity. The maximization of the NDI emission outlined here would further boost the burgeoning repertoire of applications of the NDI scaffold.

Electron Transfer in a Naphthalene Diimide System Studied by Single-Molecule Delayed Fluorescence

Electron transfer (ET) is a key chemical reaction in nature and has been extensively studied in bulk systems, but remains challenging to investigate at the single-molecule level. A previously reported naphthalene diimide (NDI)-based system (Higginbotham et al., Chem. Commun. 2013, 49, 5061–5063) displays delayed fluorescence with good quantum yield (~0.5) and long-lived (nanoseconds) prompt and delayed fluorescence lifetimes, providing an opportunity to interrogate the underlying ET processes in single molecules. Time-resolved single-molecule fluorescence measurements enabled forward and reverse ET rate constants to be calculated for 45 individual molecules embedded in poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) film. Interpretation of the results within the framework of Marcus–Hush theory for ET demonstrates that variation in both the electronic coupling and the driving force for ET is occurring from molecule to molecule within the PMMA film and over time for individual molecules.

Harnessing Brightness in Naphthalene Diimides

The development of brightly emissive compounds is of great research and commercial interest, with established and emerging applications across chemistry, biology, physics, medicine and engineering. Among the many types of molecules available, naphthalene diimides have been widely used for both fundamental photophysical studies and in practical applications that utilise fluorescence as an information readout. The monomeric naphthalene diimide is weakly fluorescent, however through various methods of core-derivatisation, it can be developed to be highly fluorescent and further functionalised to add utility. In this review, we highlight recent advances made in naphthalene diimide chemistry that have led to development of molecules with improved optical properties, and the design strategies utilised to produce bright fluorescence emission as small molecules or in supramolecular architectures.

Investigation of cation binding and sensing by new crown ether core substituted naphthalene diimide systems

Different modes of cation binding lead to very different optical readouts from two structurally similar sensors.

Water-soluble naphthalene diimides: synthesis, optical properties, and colorimetric detection of biogenic amines

Biocompatible water-soluble naphthalene diimides (NDIs) were synthesized and a core-dichlorinated NDI was shown to detect primary amines and biogenic diamines.

Modular synthesis of 4-aminocarbonyl substituted 1,8-naphthalimides and application in single molecule fluorescence detection

Robust 1,8-naphthalimide cross-coupling methodology unlocks access to derivatives with interesting photophysical properties and diverse applications.

A Macrocyclic Fluorophore Dimer with Flexible Linkers: Bright Excimer Emission with a Long Fluorescence Lifetime

Bright fluorescent molecules with long fluorescence lifetimes are important for the development of lifetime-based fluorescence imaging techniques. Herein, a molecular design is described for simultaneously attaining long fluorescence lifetime (τ) and high brightness (ΦF ×ɛ) in a system that features macrocyclic dimerization of fluorescent π-conjugated skeletons with flexible linkers. An alkylene-linked macrocyclic dimer of bis(thienylethynyl)anthracene was found to show excimer emission with a long fluorescence lifetime (τ≈19 ns) in solution, while maintaining high brightness. A comparison with various relevant derivatives revealed that the macrocyclic structure and the length of the alkylene chains play crucial roles in attaining these properties. In vitro time-gated imaging experiments were conducted as a proof-of-principle for the superiority of this macrocyclic fluorophore relative to the commercial fluorescent dye Alexa Fluor 488.

Core-Substituted Naphthalenediimides: LUMO Levels Revisited, in Comparison with Preylenediimides with Sulfur Redox Switches in the Core

Core‐substituted naphthalenediimides (NDIs) attract increasing attention to bind, transport, and transform electrons, anions, anionic intermediates, and anionic transition states, and to shine as most colorful rainbow fluorophores. The energy level of their lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) is decisive for many of these applications. Here, differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) measurements for a consistent series of NDIs are reported to extract exact LUMO levels under identical conditions. The influence of primary and secondary substituents in the core and on the primary imides is compared with general trends for the reliable prediction of LUMO levels in functional systems. Emphasis is on sulfur redox switches in the NDI core because of their frequent use as isostructural probes for π acidity. The same sulfur redox chemistry is expanded to perylenediimides (PDIs), and LUMO engineering is discussed in a broader context, including also fullerenes, aminonaphthalimides (ANIs), and aminoperyleneimides (APIs). The result is a comprehensive reference table that graphically maps out the LUMO space covered by the leading families of electronaccepting aromatics. This graphical summary of general trends in the π‐acidic space is expected to be both inspiring and quite useful in practice.

From ACQ to AIE: the suppression of the strong π–π interaction of naphthalene diimide derivatives through the adjustment of their flexible chains

The adjustment of flexible chains can realize the transformation from ACQ to AIE with the tunable packing modes, providing an alternative approach for the inhibition of unwanted π–π stacking.