Solid-state fluorescence of two zinc coordination polymers from bulky dicyano-phenylenevinylene and bis-azobenzene cores

Photochemical performances were investigated on two new coordination polymers (CPs) derived from small emissive molecules. A dicyano-phenylenevinylene and an azobenzene skeleton with two salen sites and bulky substituents were employed as building blocks. The derived CPs have been fully characterized, particularly for their PL performance. The polymers are respectively red and yellow emitters in the solid-state, retaining the PLQY values of the fluorogenic ligands. By in situ self-assembly reaction, homogeneous amorphous thin films were obtained, as confirmed by SEM analysis. Cyclic voltammetry and DFT calculations were employed to evaluate the electronic bandgap and to predict energy levels of the frontier orbitals.