Alkyl chain length effects on solid-state difluoroboron β-diketonate mechanochromic luminescence

Solid-state difluoroboron β-diketonate dyes display reversible mechanochromic luminescence (ML). To test the effects of alkyl chain length on solid state photoluminescence and ML, a series of dyes, BF2dbmOR, with dibenzoylmethane (dbm) ligands and alkoxyl substituents (–OR) were prepared, where R = CnH2n+1 and n = 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 12, 14, 16, 18. Emission properties were investigated in solution and in the solid state. Fluorescence spectra and lifetimes were nearly identical for dyes in CH2Cl2 solution; whereas, in the solid state, as powders, thin films or spin cast films, emission maxima, and lifetimes were different among the samples. Solid-state ML emission spectra were monitored at room temperature as a function of time for smeared powders on quartz surfaces. The recovery time generally increased with alkyl chain length, ranging from minutes (n = 3) to days (n = 18). Longer chain analogues (n = 6, 12, 14, 16, 18) did not fully return to the original annealed emissive state even after months on quartz, though the dynamics are substrate dependent. Solid-state dyes were also investigated by XRD and DSC (powders), and by AFM (spin cast films).