Switching the emission of di(4-ethoxyphenyl)dibenzofulvene among multiple colors in the solid state

Luminescent materials exhibiting emission switching in the solid state have drawn much attention though there is still no clear design strategy for such materials. In this letter, we reported the crystallization induced emission enhancement (CIEE) of di(4-ethoxyphenyl)dibenzofulvene (1), and achieved switching its emission among four different colors through modulation of its molecular packing patterns. We have investigated its potential application as optical recording materials. The twisted conformations of CIEE compounds afford morphology dependent emission and facilitate tuning their emission through modulation of molecular packing patterns. Thus we provide a possible design strategy for solid stimulus responsive luminescent materials.