The optical behavior of amorphous microribbons for hydroxy-naphthol based Schiff bases

The optical behaviors of three hydroxy-naphthol based Schiff bases, L1, L2 and L3, in aggregated states in 1,4-dioxane (Diox) – H₂O mixture, were investigated. The intermolecular hydrogen bond between luminogen and water resulted in the twisting of benzothiazole group, which is favorable for the assembly of organic molecules into J-aggregates. And also a bathochromic shift in absorption and enhancement of the fluorescence emission (aggregation-induced enhanced emission, AIEE) can be observed. L1 and L2 in Diox-H₂O mixture with water volume fractions (f_w) 95% assembled into microribbons with 40–50 nm thickness, twisted together to make amorphous supramolecular organogels. Whereas L3 assembled into needle-like nanorods with the thickness up to ~200 nm, consistence with its lower emission intensity compared to L1, L2 aggregates. Moreover, a drastic blue-shift and an enhancement of emission efficiency of L1-L3 were also observed in solid states with the morphology change from the crystalline to the amorphous state by grinding. It was found that L1 aggregates showed fluorescence switch-off sensing towards Cu²⁺, with higher selectivity and sensitivity compared to L1 in Diox solution. - Graphical abstract: Three Schiff bases derivatives, L1, L2 and L3, consisting of hydroxy-naphthol and thiazole group, exhibited AIEE effect in Diox-H₂O mixture with f_w 95% (for L1 and L2) or 99% (for L3). The formation of amorphous nanoparticles is advantageous for emission enhancement. The drastic blue-shift and an enhancement of emission efficiency were also observed in L1-L3 with the morphology change from the crystalline to the amorphous state in solid by grinding. It was found that L1 AIEE system could be constructed as a chemoprobe towards Cu²⁺ fluorescence recognition, with higher selectivity and sensitivity compared to L1 in Diox solution.