Highly Twisted Aryl‐Anthraquinodimethanes: Synthesis, Characterization, and Fluorescence Sensing of TNT

A series of anthraquinodimethane (AQ) derivatives substituted with sterically hindered arene groups, including pyrene, tetraphenylethene (TPE), and anthracene, was successfully synthesized through Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reactions under optimized conditions. The molecular structures of these aryl‐substituted AQs were determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, while their electrochemical and electronic properties were investigated by cyclic voltammetric (CV), UV/Vis absorption, and fluorescence spectroscopic analyses. Our studies provide an in‐depth understanding of the structure‐property relationships for sterically hindered aryl‐AQ systems. Interesting aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) properties for tetrapyrenyl‐ and tetra(TPE)‐substituted AQs were further disclosed, based on which the applicability of these compounds as highly sensitive fluorescent probes for nitroaromatic explosives such as 2,4,6‐trinitrotoluene (TNT) was demonstrated.