Enhanced Fluorescence of Remote Functionalized Diaminodicyanoquinodimethanes in the Solid State and Fluorescence Switching in a Doped Polymer by Solvent Vapors

Abstract

Remote functionalized zwitterionic diaminodicyanoquinodimethanes are found to exhibit a dramatic enhancement of light emission in the solid state and when doped in polymer films, as compared to the solution state. Crystal structure analysis of prototypical molecules reveals the role of the remote functionality in the solid state molecular organization. Semiempirical quantum chemical computations provide a viable model to explain the interesting phenomenon of fluorescence enhancement as arising from the inhibition of geometry relaxation of the vertical excited state to a nonemitting state. The reversible switching of a doped polymer film fluorescence triggered by solvent vapors is demonstrated.