Researchers find access to new fluorescent materials

In the recently published paper, Nils König and his colleagues demonstrated a new reaction on AIE-based phospholes, which provided access to a new class of substances. Phospholes can be modified under mild conditions by isocyanates, a reactive class of substances consisting of the elements nitrogen, oxygen and carbon, which are inexpensive and widely available due to their industrial applications in the field of polymers and biochemistry. This reaction, which seems to contradict classical organic chemistry, is characterised by high yields and excellent atom economy.

The optical properties of the new substances were investigated in collaboration with the Institute of Surface Engineering (IOM) in Leipzig, as well as the Center for Nanotechnology (CeNTech) and the University of Münster (WWU). It turned out that the simple modification significantly increased the efficiency of fluorescence compared to the original substances. This is due to the formation of a unique interaction between parts of the molecular framework, which significantly strengthens the molecule in the solid state and leads to stronger fluorescence. The new modification method thus makes a major contribution to understanding the AIE concept and could serve as a tool for synthesising efficient new dyes for screens or as markers for biomolecules.