Asymmetric Difluoroboron Quinazolinone-Pyridine Dyes with Large Stokes Shift: High Emission Efficiencies Both in Solution and in the Solid State

Boron difluoroquinazolinone-pyridine (BODIQPy) and substituted derivatives have been designed and synthesized. Strong emission with high fluorescence quantum yield both in solution (up to 0.99) and in solid state (up to 0.60) was achieved in these asymmetric BODIQPys. For 6-halogen substituted BODIQPys, the heavy atomic effect of bromine and iodine was suppressed in solution due to the strong electron-withdrawing ability of the BODIQPy core. As a result, 6-iodine substituted BODIQPy shows the unusual fluorescence quantum yields (>0.70) in dichloromethane and tetrahydrofuran. In the solid state, the asymmetric structure induced a unique dimeric structure, and efficient luminescence was also observed. The formation of halogen bonds between carbonyl oxygen and bromine or iodine regulated the stacking mode and enhanced intermolecular interaction, resulting in a decline in the fluorescence quantum yield. In addition, a large Stokes shift was also achieved in these asymmetric BODIQPys.