Enhanced Red Persistent Room-Temperature Phosphorescence Induced by Orthogonal Structure Disruption during Electronic Relaxation

J Phys Chem Lett. 2022 Aug 25;13(33):7788-7796. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c01878. Epub 2022 Aug 16.

Abstract

Bright, persistent, room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) at long wavelengths is crucial for high-resolution imaging in the absence of in vivo autofluorescence. However, efficient long-wavelength RTP is difficult. Here, enhanced red RTP based on a unique mechanism was observed from deuterated dibenzo[g.p]chrysenes substituted with a phenoxazine. The yield was 16%, with an average lifetime of 1.8 s. An orthogonal dihedral angle between the dibenzo[g.p]chrysene and the phenoxazine in the lowest excited singlet state allowed a forbidden fluorescence to increase triplet generation. When the dihedral angle changed, disengagement of the forbidden fluorescence from the excited singlet state occurred, and the lowest triplet excited state had a facilitated phosphorescence rate without increasing its nonradiative transition rate. The facilitated phosphorescence rate as well as the large triplet yield led to the enhanced red RTP.

MeSH terms

  • Electronics*
  • Fluorescence
  • Luminescence*
  • Temperature