Twist-Elasticity-Controlled Crystal Emission in Highly Luminescent Polymorphs of Cyano-Substituted Distyrylbenzene (βDCS)

The occurrence of polymorphs in crystals of luminescent π-conjugated organic materials is an intriguing matter, particularly because polymorphs can give rise to widely different broadband and amplified emission properties. Here, a new, highly luminescent polymorph of cyano-substituted distyrylbenzene, being a prominent example of “twist elasticity”—the ability of a molecule to react to external constraints with substantial changes in the torsional coordinates, is investigated. The twist elasticity concept is fully explored here through molecular modeling by comparison of the new polymorph with two known ones exhibiting largely different intra- and intermolecular coordinates. In a second ste…

Luminescence in Crystalline Organic Materials: From Molecules to Molecular Solids

Solid State Luminescence Enhancement in π-Conjugated Materials: Unraveling the Mechanism beyond the Framework of AIE/AIEE

Solid state luminescence enhancement (SLE) of conjugated organic materials has had a great impact in materials science, but a deep understanding has been rather limited to date. Here, we investigate a prototype example of SLE materials, cyano-substituted distyrylbenzene (DCS), by varying systematically and subtly the substitution pattern (inter alia of the position of the cyano-substituent) to give largely different photoresponse in fluid and solid solution as well in the crystalline state. The combination of quantitative (ultra)fast optical spectroscopic techniques, appropriate quantum-chemical methods, and structural (X-ray) data allows us to elucidate and rationalize all details of the S…

Inverted energy gap law for the nonradiative decay in fluorescent floppy molecules: larger fluorescence quantum yields for smaller energy gaps

A data survey on experimental fluorescence quantum yields of (multi)substituted dicyano-distyrylbenzenes in fluid solution evidences that non-radiative decay increases with the Franck-Condon energy (E-FC), being opposite to the conventional energy gap law. Quantum-chemistry indicates that this is controlled by access to the conical intersection (CI) following the Bell-Evans-Polanyi principle as a first-step approximation for this family of molecules; the variations in E-FC among the different compounds are found to be decisive, while those of E-CI are estimated to be weaker or even enhancing the effect. The current findings may have significant consequences for the design of molecules for o…

Excited-state non-radiative decay in stilbenoid compounds: An: Ab initio quantum-chemistry study on size and substituent effects

In the framework of optoelectronic luminescent materials, non-radiative decay mechanisms are relevant to interpret efficiency losses. These radiationless processes are herein studied theoretically for a series of stilbenoid derivatives, including distyrylbenzene (DSB) and cyano-substituted distyrylbenzene (DCS) molecules in vacuo. Given the difficulties of excited-state reaction path determinations, a simplified computational strategy is defined based on the exploration of the potential energy surfaces (PES) along the elongation, twisting, and pyramidalization of the vinyl bonds. For such exploration, density functional theory (DFT), time-dependent (TD)DFT, and complete-active-space self-co…

Crossed 2D versus Slipped 1D π-Stacking in Polymorphs of Crystalline Organic Thin Films

Polymorphs of organic semiconductors are of great interest as they shed light to structure-property relationships. The full X-ray thin film structure analysis of two polymorphs (B, G) of an important n-type semiconducting dicyano-distyrylbenzene based small molecule (CN-TFPA) is reported. Drastically different structures of the monotropic phases are revealed, that is an uncommon 2D crossed π-stacked arrangement for the B-phase versus a 1D slipped π-stack for G. Both phases exhibit a layered structure in the (100) plane with high structural integrity, driven by the hydrophobic contacts of the terminal CF3 groups; as (100) coincides with the film surface, this allows for exfoliation by scotch…

CCDC 1905199: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

Related Article: María José Aliaga‐Gosalvez, Nicola Demitri, Michael Dohr, Juan Carlos Roldao, Sang Kyu Park, Sangyoon Oh, Shinto Varghese, Soo Young Park, Yoann Olivier, Begoña Milián‐Medina, Roland Resel, Johannes Gierschner|2019|Adv.Opt.Mater.||1900749|doi:10.1002/adom.201900749

CCDC 1905198: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

Related Article: María José Aliaga‐Gosalvez, Nicola Demitri, Michael Dohr, Juan Carlos Roldao, Sang Kyu Park, Sangyoon Oh, Shinto Varghese, Soo Young Park, Yoann Olivier, Begoña Milián‐Medina, Roland Resel, Johannes Gierschner|2019|Adv.Opt.Mater.||1900749|doi:10.1002/adom.201900749

CCDC 1542079: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

Related Article: Junqing Shi, Seong-Jun Yoon, Lucas Viani, Soo Young Park, Begoña Milián-Medina, Johannes Gierschner|2017|Adv.Opt.Mater.|5|1700340|doi:10.1002/adom.201700340