Solid state emission enhancement of 9,10-distyrylanthracene derivatives and amplified spontaneous emission from a large single crystal

Methyl-substituted 9,10-distyrylanthracene was synthesized by a simple Heck reaction and its photophysical properties investigated. Tight intermolecular stacking through supramolecular interactions in the crystal not only induced strong fluorescence emission with a high fluorescence efficiency of 35% but also conducted the formation of large size and high quality needle-like single crystals. Amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) with a low threshold value of 10 mu J pulse(-1) was observed.