Modification at a boron unit: tuning electronic and optical properties of π-conjugated acyclic anion receptors

Substituents at the boron unit of dipyrrolyldiketone boron complexes as pi-conjugated acyclic anion receptors play crucial roles for the tuning of solid-state molecular assemblies, anion-binding behaviour and electronic and optical properties. In particular, emission quantum yields can be significantly tunable by boron substituents and pyrrole alpha-aryl moieties.