Methoxy‐Substituted Difluoroboron Benzoylacetonate Complexes with Color‐Tunable Phosphorescence

Recent advances in the synthesis of luminescent tetra-coordinated boron compounds

Tetra-coordinated boron compounds offer a plethora of luminescent materials. Different chelation around the boron center (O,O-, N,C-, N,O-, and N,N-) has been explored to tune the electronic and photophysical properties of tetra-coordinated boron compounds. A number of fascinating molecules with interesting properties such as aggregation induced emission, mechanochromism and tunable emission by changing the solvent polarity were realised. Owing to their rich and unique properties, some of the molecules have shown applications in making optoelectronic devices, probes and so on. This perspective provides an overview of the recent developments of tetra-coordinated boron compounds and their potential applications.

In Situ Turn-On Room Temperature Phosphorescence and Vapor Ultra-sensitivity at Lifetime Mode

Organic room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) systems are rarely reported for vapor phase sensing due to the contradiction between vapor permeability and phosphorescence ability. Till now, almost all reported works are based on ″turn-off″ mode RTP detection by destroying the compact-packaging oxygen-free environment. ″Turn-on″ mode RTP detection owns additional anti-interference capability due to a lower initial RTP background signal, while its realization is even harder. In this research, in situ phosphorescence ″turn-on″ sensing was realized for methamphetamine (MPEA) vapor detection. Based on the formation of aromatic phenolic aldehyde-secondary amine ion pairs with air-stable RTP performance, the fluorescent tri-formyl phenol (TFP) film was converted into a stable RTP state after being exposed to the MPEA vapor, as supported by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry together with theoretical calculations. The red-shifted absorption and emission, enhanced emission intensity, and 49.7 μs phosphorescence lifetime allowed multiple mode MPEA vapor sensing from chromaticity to fluorescence to phosphorescence. The lifetime mode detection limit reached 0.4 ppt, 5 orders of magnitude lower than the intensity mode detection limit of 20.3 ppb.

Recent Advances on Host-Guest Material Systems toward Organic Room Temperature Phosphorescence

The design and characterization of purely organic room-temperature phosphorescent (RTP) materials for optoelectronic applications is currently the focus of research in the field of organic electronics. Particularly, with the merits of preparation controllability and modulation flexibility, host-guest material systems are encouraging candidates that can prepare high-performance RTP materials. By regulating the interaction between host and guest molecules, it can effectively control the quantum efficiency, luminescent lifetime, and color of host-guest RTP materials, and even produce RTP emission with stimuli-responsive features, holding tremendous potential in diverse applications such as encryption and anti-counterfeiting, organic light-emitting diodes, sensing, optical recording, etc. Here a roundup of rapid achievement in construction strategies, molecule systems, and diversity of applications of host-guest material systems is outlined. Intrinsic correlations between the molecular properties and a survey of recent significant advances in the development of host-guest RTP materials divided into three systems including rigid matrix, exciplex, and sensitization are presented. Providing an insightful understanding of host-guest RTP materials and offering a promising platform for high throughput screening of RTP systems with inherent advantages of simple material preparation, low-cost, versatile resource, and controllably modulated properties for a wide range of applications is intended.

Recent advances in dioxaborine-based fluorescent materials for bioimaging applications

Fluorescent materials are continuously contributing to important advances in the field of bioimaging. Among these materials, dioxaborine-based fluorescent materials (DBFM) are arousing growing interest. Due to their rigid structures conferred by a cyclic boron complex, DBFM possess appealing photophysical properties including high extinction coefficients and quantum yields as well as emission in the near infrared, enhanced photostability and high two-photon absorption. We herein discuss the recent advances of DBFM that found use in bioimaging applications. This review covers the development of fluorescent molecular probes for biomolecules (DNA, proteins), small molecules (cysteine, H₂O₂, oxygen), ions and the environment (polarity, viscosity) as well as polymers and nanomaterials used in bioimaging. This review aims at providing a comprehensive and critical insight on DBFM by highlighting the assets of these promising materials in bioimaging but also by pointing out their limitations that would require further developments.

Recent developments in stimuli-responsive luminescent polymers composed of boron compounds

This review summarizes recent developments in stimuli-responsive luminescent polymers with boron chromophores, including three- and four-coordinated compounds. Sensing mechanisms based on the features of boron and polymer structures are described.