Molecular-Architectonics-Guided Dynamic Assembly To Generate Fluorescent Organic Nanoclusters With Implications For Optical Imaging

The preparation of stable excimer-like organic nanoclusters (ONCs) in extreme dilution is a challenging task. The scheme of molecular architectonics is adapted to engineer a noninteracting ground-state aggregation of a sugar-conjugated naphthalenediimide derivative. The dynamic molecular assembly with a two-dimensional macrosheet structure gradually transformed into nanoarchitectures with significant changes in the fluorescence properties. A chemical stimulus was employed to kinetically trap the nanoarchitectures and to generate discrete and stable ONCs. This study reveals the importance of functional molecule design, manipulation of noncovalent interactions, and experimental conditions in overcoming the limitation of conventional excimer formation with profound implications for optical imaging applications.