A meso-Naphthalenediimide MOF: From Chiral Self-Sorted Structure to Organic Skeleton Configuration Analysis and Its...

Naphthalenediimides (NDIs) exhibit good electron affinity, excellent thermal stability, and high oxidative stability, making them promising candidates for applications in chemical sensing and stimulus-responsive materials. Herein, we introduced amino-acid-functionalized NDIs as organic linkers to construct a multifunctional mesomer [Zn(AlaNDI)(DMF)₂]·2H₂O (Zn-AlaNDI) with an S-R-R-S stereochemical sequence, featuring a donor-π-acceptor (D-π-A) structure, and used them as a platform to characterize chirality transcription of amino acids. In addition, the complex has been applied for photoluminescence (PL) sensing for selectively discriminating common acid/base molecules through fluorescence quenching or enhancement. The generation of NDI moiety radicals within the framework enabled distinct visual chromic responses to amine vapors and light and electrical stimuli. Notably, Zn-AlaNDI was incorporated into poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) to prepare a PVDF-PEG@Zn-AlaNDI film, which exhibited amine vapor selectivity and a concentration-dependent chromic response. The resulting composite film demonstrated good stability and reusability, making it suitable for applications such as ink-free erasable printing and information encryption. Furthermore, the composite film exhibited excellent photovoltaic conversion performance via two reversible single-electron transfer processes. This study established Zn-AlaNDI as a versatile platform for smart applications, opening new prospects for designing multifunctional stimulus-responsive materials.