Enhancing Circularly Polarized Luminescence of Anthraquinones via J-Type Supramolecular Polymerization

Abstract

Circularly polarized luminescence materials based on cost-effective point-chiral luminophores are highly desirable; however, their performance is often hindered by weak exciton–chirality coupling between the luminophore and its adjacent stereocenters. Here, we introduce J-type supramolecular polymerization as an effective strategy to address this challenge. By attaching amide groups to point-chiral anthraquinone luminophores, the formation of directional hydrogen bonds facilitates efficient chirality transfer from peripheral stereocenters to anthraquinones, resulting in supramolecular polymers with amplified chiroptical asymmetry. More importantly, the incorporation of acetylene spacers reduces torsional angle of the anthraquinone core compared to the nonacetylene control compound (1.81° versus 33.4°), promoting J-aggregation and increasing emission intensity. This structural optimization enables the supramolecular polymers to achieve a circularly polarized luminescence brightness of 13.8 M⁻¹cm⁻¹, marking a significant advancement in point-chiral luminophore systems. Furthermore, the integration of Förster resonance energy transfer into these supramolecular polymers allows for the fabrication of color-tunable circularly polarized electroluminescent devices. Overall, J-type supramolecular polymerization represents a promising approach for developing high-performance chiroptical materials by simultaneously optimizing emission dissymmetry and quantum efficiency.