Controlled Photoerasable Fluorescent Behaviors with Dithienylethene-Based Molecular Turnstile

The precise control of molecular interaction and motion is a powerful strategy in the creation and development of intelligent materials. We demonstrate here a simple concept and approach to integrate intramolecular photochromic property with intermolecular aggregation-induced emission behaviors, with the aim to construct a new type of photoswitchable luminescent materials. This strategy is realized by the dithienylethene-bridged bispyridinium salt as photochromic molecular turnstile, and their subsequent fabrication into optically functional materials is reported. By restricting the rotation of central chemical bonds, the obtained molecular turnstile not only exhibits photocontrolled fluorescence emission through solvent exchange but is also capable of transforming into photowritable and photoerasable films in polymeric matrix with good recyclability. This functional molecular turnstile provides convenient routes to construct photochromic nanomaterials with controlled photophysical behaviors.