Highly Fluorescent Non-Conventional Boron-Difluoride-Based Organogel with Gelation-Assisted Piezochromism

Triphenylamine-functionalized boron 2-(2'-pyridyl)imidazole complex bearing no alkyl chains or H-bond unit was found to be able to gelate a series of solvents, and the balanced intermolecular pi-pi interactions play an important role in its supramolecular self-assembly. The gelator molecule is piezochromic, and the dried gel responded to pressure more sensitively than regular crystalline powder.