Constructing multicolor photoluminescent materials with tunable properties is an attractive research objective on account of their abundant applications in materials science and biomedical engineering. By comparison with covalent synthesis, supramolecular chemistry has provided a more competitive and promising strategy for the production of organic materials and the regulation of their photophysical properties. By taking advantage of dynamic and reversible noncovalent bonding interactions, supramolecular strategies can, not only simplify the design and fabrication of organic materials, but can also endow them with dynamic reversibility and stimuli responsiveness, making it much easier to adjust the superstructures and properties of the materials. Occasionally, it is possible to introduce emergent properties into these materials, which are absent in their precursor compounds, broadening their potential applications. In an attempt to highlight the state-of-the-art noncovalent strategies available for the construction of smart luminescent materials, an overview of color-tunable materials is presented in this Review, with the emphasis being placed on the examples drawn from host-guest complexes, supramolecular assemblies and crystalline materials. The noncovalent synthesis of room-temperature phosphorescent materials and the modulation of their luminescent properties are also described. Finally, future directions and scientific challenges in the emergent field of color-tunable supramolecular emissive materials are discussed.
Keywords: crystal engineering; molecular assembly; molecular recognition; multicolor photoluminescence; room-temperature phosphorescence.
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