Tunable aggregation-induced fluorescent and pressure-responsive luminescence supramolecular cages achieved by subcomponent self-assembly

Three discrete tetrahedral metallo-supramolecular cages were designed and constructed using truxene-pended base ligands. Owing to the synergistic rigidifying effect of unsymmetric cyano-substituted oligo(p-phenylene-vinylene) (u-COPV) suspended by the truxene skeleton, the resulting supramolecular cages were confirmed to exhibit significant aggregation-induced emission (AIE) accompanied by an interesting solvatochromic fluorescent behavior as well as a porous honeycomb-like state during aggregation. In particular, the anti-counterfeiting performance and emission behaviors of the cages in the solid state under external hydrostatic pressure were investigated.