Turn-On Fluorescence in Tetraphenylethylene-Based Metal–Organic Frameworks: An Alternative to Aggregation-Induced Emission

Coordinative immobilization of functionalized tetraphenylethylene within rigid porous metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) turns on fluorescence in the typically non-emissive tetraphenylethylene core. The matrix coordination-induced emission effect (MCIE) is complementary to aggregation-induced emission. Despite the large interchromophore distances imposed by coordination to metal ions, a carboxylate analogue of tetraphenylethylene anchored by Zn2+ and Cd2+ ions inside MOFs shows fluorescence lifetimes in line with those of close-packed molecular aggregates. Turn-on fluorescence by coordinative ligation in a porous matrix is a powerful approach that may lead to new materials made from chromophores with molecular…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: 0819762, DMR-0819762, 9808061, DBI-9729592, 9729592, CHE-9808061
• UD
  U.S. Department of Energy

  Award: DE-SC0001088
• A
  Amgen
• OO
  Office of Science

  Award: DE-SC0001088
• MR
  Materials Research Science and Engineering Center, Harvard University

  Award: DMR-0819762
• DO
  Division of Materials Research

  Awards: 0819762, DMR-0819762
• DO
  Division of Chemistry

  Award: CHE-9808061
• BE
  Basic Energy Sciences

  Award: DE-SC0001088