Aggregation-induced emission-active supramolecular polymers: from controlled preparation to applications

Supramolecular polymers are typical self-assemblies, in which repeating monomer units are bonded together with dynamic and reversible noncovalent interactions. Supramolecular polymers can combine the advantages of polymer science and supramolecular chemistry. Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) means that a molecule remains faintly emissive in the dispersed state but intensively luminescent in a highly aggregated state. AIE has brought new opportunities and further development potential to the field of polymeric chemistry. The integration of AIE luminogens with supramolecular interactions can provide new vitality for supramolecular polymers. Therefore, it is essential for scientists to understand the preparation and applications of AIE-active supramolecular polymers. This review focuses on the recent advanced progress in the preparation of AIE-active supramolecular polymers. In addition, we summarize the newly developed supramolecular polymers with an AIE nature and their applications in chemical sensing, and in vitro and in vivo imaging, as well as the visualization of their structure and properties. Finally, the development trends and challenges of AIE-active supramolecular polymers are prospected.

Assembly and Applications of Macrocyclic-Confinement-Derived Supramolecular Organic Luminescent Emissions from Cucurbiturils

Cucurbit[n]urils (Q[n]s or CB[n]s), as a classical of artificial organic macrocyclic hosts, were found to have excellent advantages in the fabricating of tunable and smart organic luminescent materials in aqueous media and the solid state with high emitting efficiency under the rigid pumpkin-shaped structure-derived macrocyclic-confinement effect in recent years. This review aims to give a systematically up-to-date overview of the Q[n]-based supramolecular organic luminescent emissions from the confined spaces triggered host-guest complexes, including the assembly fashions and the mechanisms of the macrocycle-based luminescent complexes, as well as their applications. Finally, challenges and outlook are provided. Since this class of Q[n]-based supramolecular organic luminescent emissions, which have essentially derived from the cavity-dependent confinement effect and the resulting assembly fashions, emerged only a few years ago, we hope this review will provide valuable information for the further development of macrocycle-based light-emitting materials and other related research fields.

Cucurbituril hosts as promoters of aggregation induced emission of triphenylamine derivatives

Three ligands bearing triphenylamine as a core and one, two or three acyclic polyamine chains, TPA1p, TPA2p and TPA3p, respectively, have been studied by potentiometric and photophysical (UV-Vis, steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence) techniques. The host-guest interaction with cucurbit[7]uril, CB7, has been investigated in aqueous solution showing aggregation induced emission behaviour when encapsulated into a CB7 cavity. From fluorescence emission it is revealed that the charged polyamine chains are the unit entering into CB7 and from the Job plots the stoichiometries are found to vary from 1 : 1 to 1 : 3 L : CB7 ratios. Interactions of the charged amines with the portals of CB7 restrict rotation of the benzene units in the triphenylamine backbone (free rotor effect), decreasing the radiationless internal conversion channel at the expense of the enhancement of fluorescence. Dynamic light scattering and resonance Rayleigh scattering experiments show that TPA3p-CB7 complexes involve formation of aggregates with a mean size of 126 ± 5 nm and a dispersity factor of 0.117, indicating a monodisperse distribution and supporting the important conclusions of this work: formation of emissive aggregates through the AIE effect.

Construction of cucurbit[n]uril-based supramolecular frameworks via host-guest inclusion and functional properties thereof

Frameworks utilizing cucurbit[n]uril-based chemistry build on the rapid developments in the fields of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent-organic frameworks (COFs), and supramolecular organic frameworks (SOFs), and as porous materials have found...

Emission enhancement of cationic tetraphenylethylene derivatives by encapsulation in a cucurbit[10]uril host in water

Encapsulation of cationic tetraphenylethylene guests in a cucurbit[10]uril host in water results in strong emission enhancement of these guests since the host–guest interaction caused restriction of intramolecular rotation.

Formation of disulphide linkages restricts intramolecular motions of a fluorophore: detection of molecular oxygen in food packaging

Reliable and easy detection of oxygen in food packaging without the aid of sophisticated instruments is highly coveted. A tetraphenylethene probe based on oxygen-mediated polymerization via the formation of disulfides causes restricted intramolecular rotation of the TPE phenyls resulting in a >100 fold enhancement of emission and thus detects O2 in food packages.

Fluorescent supramolecular polymers with aggregation induced emission properties

This review summarizes the recent developments in AIE fluorescent supramolecular polymeric materials based on different types of intermolecular noncovalent interactions, and their wide ranging applications as chemical sensors, organic electronic materials, bio-imaging agents and so on.