Abstract:
A series of α-cyanostyrenes bearing anthracene and electron withdrawing trifluoromethyl units were designed and synthesized. The α-cyanostyrene skeleton favors the aggregation induced enhanced emission behavior due to the restriction of intramolecular rotations. Remarkably, the anthryl cyanostyrenes bearing simple trifluoromethyl (CF3) substituents form stable organogels with enhanced fluorescence emission compared to its solution state. In water, the CF3 substituted anthrylstyrenes self-assembles to an entangled tube or fibrous nano/ microstructures through a cooperative effect of intermolecular H- bonding, π–π stacking and cyano substituent interactions. The morphological features of the aggregates and the gels were substantiated using scanning electron microscopy, TEM, Powder XRD measurements. The stability of the gels were assessed using rheology investigations.