Super-resolution imaging of self-assembly of amphiphilic photoswitchable macrocycles.

Self-assembly of an amphiphilic photoswitchable fluorescent macrocycle methoxy-tetraethylene glycol-substituted hexaarylbiimidazole-borondipyrromethene can be observed directly under a super-resolution fluorescence microscope, with the nanoscale resolution beyond the optical diffraction limitation.

Bulky 4,6-disubstituted tetraphenylethene-naphthalimide dyad: synthesis, copolymerization, stimuli-responsive fluorescence and cellular imaging.

We report the design and synthesis of a tetraphenylethene substituted with naphthalimide at the 4, 6 positions, named NI-2TPE. NI-2TPE exhibits strong solvent-dependent emission properties with combined ICT and AIE characteristics in THF-HO systems. This probe was used directly on test papers to distinguish normal organic solvents using their emission colours under UV light based on its AIE and ICT nature.