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New Wine in Old Bottles: Prolonging Room‐Temperature Phosphorescence of Crown Ethers by Supramolecular Interactions
Author(s) -
Wei Peifa,
Zhang Xuepeng,
Liu Junkai,
Shan GuoGang,
Zhang Haoke,
Qi Ji,
Zhao Weijun,
Sung Herman H.Y.,
Williams Ian D.,
Lam Jacky W. Y.,
Tang Ben Zhong
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201912155
Subject(s) - phosphorescence , supramolecular chemistry , luminescence , photochemistry , materials science , crown ether , nanotechnology , chemistry , crystal structure , organic chemistry , fluorescence , optoelectronics , ion , physics , quantum mechanics
Supramolecular macrocyclic hosts have long been used in smart materials. However, their triplet emission and regulation at crystal level is rarely studied. Herein, ultralong and universal room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) is reported for traditional crown ethers. A supramolecular strategy involving chain length adjustment and morphological locking through complexation with K + was explored as a general method to tune the phosphorescence lifetime in the solid state. A maximum 10‐fold increase of lifetime after complex formation accompanied with by invisible to visible phosphorescence was achieved. A deep encryption based on this activated RTP strategy was also facilely fabricated. This work thus opens a new world for supramolecular macrocycles and their intrinsic guest responsiveness offers a new avenue for versatile smart luminescent materials.