Controlling the thermally activated delayed fluorescence of axially chiral organic emitters and their racemate for information encryption.

A pair of axially chiral organic enantiomers were facilely prepared through a one-pot sequential synthesis. They exhibit circularly polarized luminescence activities and have thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) and aggregation-induced emission enhancement properties. Meanwhile, these two enantiomers present remarkable and reversible thermochromism in the crystalline state, enabling dual-colour TADF switching between orange and red.