Theoretical Study of the Photocyclization Reaction-Induced Dual Aggregation-Induced Emission Phenomenon

Photochromic molecules with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) effects are of great value and prospective in various practical applications. To explore its inherent mechanism, the open isomer ap-BBTE and the closed isomer c-BBTE were chosen to perform the theoretical calculation using the quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics model combined with thermal vibration correlation function formalism. The calculations show that the photocyclization (PC) reaction from ap-BBTE to c-BBTE facilitates an improvement in the AIE effect. It is found that the fluorescence quantum yield (ΦF) enhancement of ap-BBTE is attributed to the restriction of the low-frequency rotational motion of the benzothiophene moiety and the high-frequency stretching vibrations of the C–C bond between the benzothiophene and benzylbis(thiadiazole) vinyl groups after aggregation. For c-BBTE, the increase in ΦF upon aggregation is mainly due to the suppression of the high-frequency stretching vibration of the C–C bond between the benzothiophene and the benzobis(thiadiazole) vinyl groups. In addition, the AIE effect was also enhanced from ap-BBTE to c-BBTE, which is consistent with the experimental phenomenon. The corresponding emission spectrum red-shifted from ap-BBTE to c-BBTE in both dilute solution and the crystalline state due to the improved intramolecular conjugation of c-BBTE. Moreover, the PC reaction from ap-BBTE to c-BBTE easily occurs in an excited state with a low energy barrier transition state by forming a C–C bond between benzothiophene groups effectively in dilute solution. Our calculations provide theoretical guidance for the further rational design of efficient AIE luminogens.