Lights, Molecule, Action: 3-(Diarylmethylene)isobenzofuranones as Heteroatom-Containing, Tunable Aggregation-Induced Emission Luminogens

Abstract New aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) featuring the 3-(diarylmethylene)isobenzofuranone scaffold are reported herein. This structural motif stands out as a heteroatom-containing, accessible, and tunable material. The origin of its AIE properties was studied, offering some mechanistic insights. The application of these AIEgens in pH sensing and cell imaging was also demonstrated.