Diaminodicyanoquinones: Fluorescent Dyes with High Dipole Moments and Electron-Acceptor Properties

Fluorescent dyes are applied in various fields of research, including solar cells and light-emitting devices, and as reporters for assays and bioimaging studies. Fluorescent dyes with an added high dipole moment pave the way to nonlinear optics and polarity sensitivity. Redox activity makes it possible to switch the molecule's photophysical properties. Diaminodicyanoquinone derivatives possess high dipole moments, yet only low fluorescence quantum yields, and have therefore been neglected as fluorescent dyes. Here we investigate the fluorescence properties of diaminodicyanoquinones using a combined theoretical and experimental approach and derive molecules with a fluorescence quantum yield exceeding 90 %. The diaminodicyanoquinone core moiety provides chemical versatility and can be integrated into novel molecular architectures with unique photophysical features.