Modulation of Imine‐based Aggregation‐Induced Emission Fluorescence Performance Through the Extension of Molecular Linkers

Abstract The aggregation‐induced emission fluorescent structures based on the imine bonds usually suffer fluorescence quenching owing to the possible charge transfer process between the lone pair electrons from the imine to the fluorescent luminogens. In this work, it was found that the extended molecular linker between the imine units and the TPE core can inhibit the charge transfer process and result in high AIE fluorescent property. A good regularity was found and summarized with a mechanism study. This work may help to solve the problem of the construction of AIE fluorescent structures based on the imine bond.