Nature Communications (May 2024)

Multiple photofluorochromic luminogens via catalyst-free alkene oxidative cleavage photoreaction for dynamic 4D codes encryption

  • Lin Lu,
  • Bo Wu,
  • Xinyuan He,
  • Fen Zhao,
  • Xing Feng,
  • Dong Wang,
  • Zijie Qiu,
  • Ting Han,
  • Zheng Zhao,
  • Ben Zhong Tang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-49033-2
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15, no. 1
pp. 1 – 11

Abstract

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Abstract Controllable photofluorochromic systems with high contrast and multicolor in both solutions and solid states are ideal candidates for the development of dynamic artificial intelligence. However, it is still challenging to realize multiple photochromism within one single molecule, not to mention good controllability. Herein, we report an aggregation-induced emission luminogen TPE-2MO2NT that undergoes oxidation cleavage upon light irradiation and is accompanied by tunable multicolor emission from orange to blue with time-dependence. The photocleavage mechanism revealed that the self-generation of reactive oxidants driving the catalyst-free oxidative cleavage process. A comprehensive analysis of TPE-2MO2NT and other comparative molecules demonstrates that the TPE-2MO2NT molecular scaffold can be easily modified and extended. Further, the multicolor microenvironmental controllability of TPE-2MO2NT photoreaction within polymer matrices enables the fabrication of dynamic fluorescence images and 4D information codes, providing strategies for advanced controllable information encryption.