Three-Component Regio- and Stereoselective Polymerizations toward Functional Chalcogen-Rich Polymers with AIE-Activities

Polymers containing rich chalcogen elements are rarely reported due to the lack of facile synthesis methods. Herein, a novel multicomponent polymerization route toward chalcogen-rich polymers was introduced. A series of poly(vinyl sulfones) (PVSs) were synthesized at room temperature using readily prepared monomers. PVSs were generated with high regio- and stereo-selectivity in high yields (up to 92.3%). Rich chalcogen elements endowed PVSs with distingctive multifunctionalities. The PVSs possessed good solubility and film-forming ability. Their thin films exhibited outstanding refractive indices up to 1.8062 at 550.0 nm together with good optical transparency in the visible region. Thin films of some polymers can also be fabricated into well-resolved fluorescent photopatterns by photolithography. Thanks to the unique redox properties of selenium, postmodification by oxidation reaction of P1a/2/3a successfully eliminates the caused heavy atom effect and endow resulting polymers with novel functionality as fluorescent bioprobes for cellular imaging.

Formation of various bicolor fluorescent micropatterns on a single polymer film based on concurrent photobleaching and photobase generation

Various bicolored fluorescent micropatterns are fabricated on a single polymer film by concurrent photobleaching and a photobase generation process. A polymer, bearing anthracene and oxime-urethane groups, is dyed with rhodamine B isothiocyanate after irradiation with 310-nm UV light. The photochemical reaction of the polymer is monitored by UV, IR absorption, and fluorescence emission spectroscopy. Differently colored fluorescent micropatterns are obtained by selectively exciting each dye moiety. Various bicolored fluorescent micropatterns are observed through varying the excitation wavelength and observation wavelength ranges using a confocal microscope. This bicolored fluorescence patterning method will be useful to apply in photonic/electronic devices.

Construction of regio- and stereoregular poly(enaminone)s by multicomponent tandem polymerizations of diynes, diaroyl chloride and primary amines

An atom-economical multicomponent tandem polymerization was developed to afford multifunctional regio- and stereoregular conjugated poly(enaminone)s.

AIE macromolecules: syntheses, structures and functionalities

A comprehensive review of macromolecules with aggregation-induced emission attributes is presented, covering the frontiers of syntheses, structures, functionalities and applications.

Single step optical fabrication of a DFB laser device in fluorescent azobenzene-containing materials

Distributed feedback (DFB) lasers are produced directly in fluorescent azobenzene-containing materials using a single holographic optical step. Surface relief grating capable of producing images in fluorescence microscopy can be holographically formed in a number of materials.

Protein detection and quantitation by tetraphenylethene-based fluorescent probes with aggregation-induced emission characteristics

Three functionalized derivatives of tetraphenylethylene (TPE), namely, 1,2-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,2-diphenylethene (1), 1,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,2-diphenylethene (2), and 1,2-bis[4-(3-sulfonatopropoxyl)phenyl]-1,2-diphenylethene sodium salt (3), were synthesized and their fluorescence properties were investigated. All the TPE molecules are nonluminescent in the solution state but are induced to emit efficiently by aggregate formation. This novel process of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) is rationalized to be caused by the restriction of intramolecular rotations of the dye molecules in the aggregate state. The possibility of utilizing the AIE effect for protein detection and quantification is explored using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model protein, with salt 3 being found to perform as a stable, sensitive, and selective bioprobe.