It is extremely challenging but desirable to combine photoresponsive functions such as photochromism into aggregation-induced emission (AIE) molecules through a simple and low-cost strategy. Herein a series of C₃-symmetric molecules with aggregation-induced emission and base-gated photochromism have been synthesized. The new compounds generally show excellent photophysical characteristics in solid-state with bright fluorescence and red-shifted emission by changing halogens and extending conjugation respectively. Compared with the more usual thiophene/furan-containing derivatives which show one-step discoloration, these C₃-symmetric molecules which are constructed by low-cost benzene rings can only exhibit obvious photochromic behaviours in basic solutions, showing the great potential of detecting toxic organic bases and the base-gated function. Furthermore, we demonstrate this charming base-gated photochromism could be attributed to multicyano-sensitized benzene rings of these AIE luminogens through changing the number of cyano-vinylene bridges step-by-step.

通过简单且低成本的策略将光致变色等光响应功能结合到聚集诱导发光 (AIE) 分子中极具挑战性，但也是可取的。在此合成了一系列具有聚集诱导发光和碱基门控光致变色的C _{3对称分子。}新化合物在固态下普遍表现出优异的光物理特性，分别通过改变卤素和延长共轭而产生明亮的荧光和红移发射。与更常见的一步变色的含噻吩/呋喃衍生物相比，这些C ₃由低成本苯环构成的-对称分子只能在碱性溶液中表现出明显的光致变色行为，显示出检测有毒有机碱的巨大潜力和碱基门控功能。此外，我们通过逐步改变氰基-亚乙烯基桥的数量，证明这种迷人的碱基门控光致变色可归因于这些 AIE 发光剂的多氰基敏化苯环。