Multi-stimuli-responsive fluorescence of axially chiral 4-ene-β-Diketones

A unique series of simple, smart, and chiral binaphthalene-substituted 4-ene-beta-diketones molecules has been designed and prepared. Their optical properties, charge contribution, and transition process highly depend on their chemical structures. These pi-conjugated materials are highly emissive in both solution and solid (emission quantum yield up to 68%), owing to the inhibition of enol-keto tautomerization and the effect of steric hindrance from binaphthalene. Through ethylenic bond hydrolysis, they can be used for not only cation/anion sensing but also chiral amino acids recognition. Moreover, at low concentrations, they have little cytotoxicity to living cells and can stain cytoplasm. Therefore, they afford a new platform in the design of multi-stimuli-responsive, smart, and chiral materials.

Automated summary

The designed simple, smart, and chiral binaphthalene-substituted 4-ene-beta-diketones exhibit high emissive properties and unique chemical reactions, making them suitable for sensing, recognition, and staining cytoplasm in living cells. They provide a new platform for the design of multi-stimuli-responsive, smart, and chiral materials.