Aggregation-Induced Emission of Nitrogen-Bridged Naphthalene Monoimide Dimers

We have prepared four 4-aminonaphthalene monoimide derivatives and examined the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties. A nitrogen-bridged dimer is AIE-active and exhibits bright green emission with a high quantum yield in the solid state. The X-ray diffraction analysis suggests that key to the bright luminescence is the favorable crystal packing dominated by CH/π interaction. The late-stage cyanation of the dimer tuned its AIE color from green to orange.