Tetraphenylethylene-Based Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Frameworks (HOFs) with Brilliant Fluorescence

By synergistically employing four key strategies: (I) introducing tetraphenylethylene groups as the central core unit with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties, (II) optimizing the π-conjugated length by extending the building block branches, (III) incorporating flexible groups containing ethylenic bonds, and (IV) applying crystal engineering to attain dense stacking mode and highly twisty conformation, we successfully synthesized a series of hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) exhibiting exceptional one/two-photon excited fluorescence. Notably, when utilizing the fluorescently superior building block L2, HOF-LIFM-7 and HOF-LIFM-8 exhibiting high quantum yields (QY) of 82.1 % and 77.1 %, and ultrahigh two-photon absorption (TPA) cross-sections of 148959.5 GM and 123901.1 GM were achieved. These materials were successfully employed in one and two-photon excited lysosome-targeting cellular imaging. It is believed that this strategy, combining building block optimization and crystal engineering, holds significant potential for guiding the development of outstanding fluorescent HOF materials.