Anthracene-naphthylacetonitrile fluorescence isomers and Cl/H substituent dependent molecular packing, solid-state fluorescence and mechanofluorochromism

The condensation reaction between naphthylacetonitrile isomers and anthracene aldehyde produced unexpected highly twisted AIEgens, (2-(naphthalen-1-yl)-2-(10-oxo-9,10-dihydroanthracen-9-yl)acetonitrile (1) and (Z)-3-(anthracen-9-yl)-2-(naphthalen-2-yl)acrylonitrile (2)) that exhibited strong solid-state fluorescence and mechanical stimuli-induced reversible fluorescence switching....