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Integrating dual photoresponsive molecules via a cocrystal strategy: photosalient effects, negative photochromism, and fluorescence enhancement

通过共晶策略整合双光响应分子: 光显著效应、负光致变色和荧光增强

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Abstract

Integrating multiresponsive molecules into a single crystal is a novel attempt in the area of photomechanical crystalline materials. In this work, a photomechanical crystal (9AC-NPE; 9AC = 9-anthracenecarboxylic acid, NPE = 4-(1-naphthylvinyl) pyridine) was prepared via cocrystallization. Remarkably, this cocrystal contained two distinct photoresponsive molecules, each corresponding to undergo a unique photodimerization reaction. Although these molecules need to satisfy appropriate topological stacking criteria, both photodimerization reactions occurred under ultraviolet irradiation, contributing to the photosalient effects, negative photochromism, and fluorescence enhancement of the cocrystal. The photosalient behavior of the cocrystal under white-light irradiation prompted us to further examine the differences between the two photodimerization reactions, particularly their reaction rate and response wavelength. Furthermore, the utility of this system in optical printing was demonstrated. Therefore, this work enhances the understanding of the design and application of photomechanical crystalline materials and can serve as an important reference for future efforts in this field.

摘要

将多个响应分子整合到单晶体中是光机械晶体材料领域的一次全新尝试. 本工作通过共晶制备了首个包含两种光响应分子的光机械晶体(9AC–NPE), 每种分子都对应其独特的需要满足拓扑堆积条件的光二聚反应. 紫外光照射下成功激发了晶体中的两种光二聚反应, 同时表现出光显著效应、负光致变色和多发射峰的荧光增强. 本文还将该共晶作为一个研究平台, 比较和发现了两种光二聚反应在光反应速率和响应波长上的差异, 这为制备具有复杂光机械行为的晶体材料提供了潜在的解决方案. 此外, 还发展了该共晶在光学打印中的概念设计.本工作加深了对光机械晶体材料设计和应用的理解, 可作为该领域未来研究的重要参考.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Mr. Xinghua Jin at the School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, for his help in using the liquid NMR spectrometer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China

    Yang Ye  (叶阳), Luguang Qi  (戚路广), Ying Sun  (孙莹), Xingchen Hu  (胡兴晨), Shutian Xuanyuan  (轩辕书天), Hongxun Hao  (郝红勋) & Chuang Xie  (谢闯)

  2. National Engineering Research Center of Industrial Crystallization Technology, Tianjin, 300072, China

    Hongxun Hao  (郝红勋) & Chuang Xie  (谢闯)

Authors
  1. Yang Ye  (叶阳)
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  2. Luguang Qi  (戚路广)
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  3. Ying Sun  (孙莹)
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  4. Xingchen Hu  (胡兴晨)
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  5. Shutian Xuanyuan  (轩辕书天)
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  6. Hongxun Hao  (郝红勋)
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  7. Chuang Xie  (谢闯)
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Contributions

Author contributions Ye Y and Xie C conceived the idea. Hu X prepared the samples. Qi L tested and analyzed the PXRD and HNMR. Sun Y tested and analyzed the fluorescence and diffuse reflectance spectra. Xuanyuan S and Ye Y performed the theoretical calculations. Ye Y wrote the paper with support from Hao H and Xie C. All authors contributed to the general discussion.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chuang Xie  (谢闯).

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Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Supplementary information Supporting data are available in the online version of the paper.

Yang Ye is a PhD candidate at the School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University. His current research focuses on designing photomechanical crystals and optoelectronic functional crystal materials through crystal engineering.

Chuang Xie is an associate professor at the School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University. He received his BS and PhD degrees from Tianjin University in 2002 and 2007, respectively. He worked as a postdoc at Tianjin Economic Developing Area from 2007 to 2009 and a visiting scholar at Penn State University from 2009 to 2010. His research interests focus on crystalline functional materials and industrial crystallization technology.

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Supplementary Information: Integrating dual photoresponsive molecules via cocrystal strategy: photosalient effects, negative photochromism, and fluorescence enhancement

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Ye, Y., Qi, L., Sun, Y. et al. Integrating dual photoresponsive molecules via a cocrystal strategy: photosalient effects, negative photochromism, and fluorescence enhancement. Sci. China Mater. 67, 223–231 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40843-023-2668-y

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