Aggregation induced emission (AIE) active β-ketoiminate boron complexes: Synthesis, photophysical and electrochemical properties

New keto-enol tautomeric benzoxazolyl and benzthiazolyI-1,2-diaryl beta-ketoiminate based organoboron complexes have been synthesised and their fluorescence properties investigated. Boron complexes are widely known for their fluorescent properties, here we have synthesized organoboron complexes that show bright fluorescence in solid state and hardly any fluoresce in solution. These compounds exhibit aggregation induced emission (AIE) activity. Density functional theory (DFT) was employed for geometry optimisation and molecular orbital distribution computations in the ground state of the molecules. Electrochemical study demonstrates that these molecules possess high electron affinities as compared to the current electroluminescent materials like tris(8-hydroxyquinoli- nato)-aluminium (Alq(3)) and BOD-IPY, indicating the prospects of these boron complexes as an efficient emitters in the optoelectronics. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.