Beyond Excimer: Engineering Pyrene Stacking With Mechanical Bonds for Tunable Emissions

W Wei‐Tao Xu (School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering East China Normal University Shanghai China) R Rui‐Hua Zhang (Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Molecular and Process Engineering School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering East China Normal University Shanghai China) X Xue Li X Xiao‐Qin Xu (School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering East China Normal University Shanghai China) C Chao Chen L Lin‐Tao Bao (Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Molecular and Process Engineering School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering East China Normal University Shanghai China) Z Zhen‐Yan Liu (Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Molecular and Process Engineering School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering East China Normal University Shanghai China) X Xiao‐Hua Zhou (Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Molecular and Process Engineering School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering East China Normal University Shanghai China) Z Zhu Shu (Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Molecular and Process Engineering School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering East China Normal University Shanghai China) X Xueli Wang (State Key Laboratory of Precision Spectroscopy) J Jinquan Chen (State Key Laboratory of Precision Spectroscopy) H Hai‐Bo. Yang (Wuhu Hospital East China Normal University (The Second People's Hospital, Wuhu) Wuhu China) W Wei Wang

Abstract

ABSTRACT Aiming to deepen the fundamental understanding of how hierarchical molecular packing governs the overall photophysical properties in multi‐chromophore systems, engineering pyrene stacking with mechanical bonds has been successfully realized, leading to the construction of a novel family of pyrene‐functionalized [1]rotaxanes, particularly ones with tunable triple‐layered pyrene stacking. The precisely controlled pyrene excimer conformations in these structures enable adjustable photophysical behaviors, particularly in circularly polarized luminescence (CPL), including tunable luminescence dissymmetry factors ( g lum ), invertible handedness, and programmable emission wavelengths. Notably, introducing a third pyrene unit into tris‐pyrene‐functionalized [1]rotaxanes further modulates CPL properties through synergistic or antagonistic interactions, as further confirmed by time‐dependent density functional theory (TD‐DFT) simulations, revealing a previously unobserved stacking effect. This correlation between spatial stacking and photophysical response not only provides more in‐depth fundamental insights for pyrene excimer emissions but also offers critical design principles for developing advanced chiral luminescent materials.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 65, Issue 11
Published March 09, 2026
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (13)

W

Wei‐Tao Xu

School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering East China Normal University Shanghai China

R

Rui‐Hua Zhang

Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Molecular and Process Engineering School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering East China Normal University Shanghai China

X

Xue Li

X

Xiao‐Qin Xu

School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering East China Normal University Shanghai China

C

Chao Chen

L

Lin‐Tao Bao

Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Molecular and Process Engineering School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering East China Normal University Shanghai China

Z

Zhen‐Yan Liu

Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Molecular and Process Engineering School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering East China Normal University Shanghai China

X

Xiao‐Hua Zhou

Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Molecular and Process Engineering School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering East China Normal University Shanghai China

Z

Zhu Shu

Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Molecular and Process Engineering School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering East China Normal University Shanghai China

X

Xueli Wang

State Key Laboratory of Precision Spectroscopy

J

Jinquan Chen

State Key Laboratory of Precision Spectroscopy

H

Hai‐Bo. Yang

Wuhu Hospital East China Normal University (The Second People's Hospital, Wuhu) Wuhu China

W

Wei Wang