Luminescent dendrimers. Recent advances.

Luminescent dendrimers are currently attracting much attention since coupling luminescence and dendrimer research topics can lead to valuable new functions. Indeed, luminescence is a valuable tool to monitor both basic properties and possible applications (sensors, displays, lasers), and dendrimers are macromolecular compounds exhibiting a well-defined chemical structure with the possibility of containing selected chemical units in predetermined sites and of encapsulating ions or neutral molecules in their internal dynamic cavities. In this paper we will review recent advances in this field focusing our attention on their properties in fluid solution related to light harvesting, changing the "color" of light, sensing with signal amplification, quenching and sensitization processes, shielding effects, elucidation of dendritic structures and superstructures, and investigation of dendrimer rotation in solution.