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Unforgeable Red: Design and Application of SO-Annulated Perylene Diimides for Anti-Counterfeiting
Pablo Simón Marqués1,2, Sandra Pérez-Domínguez3, Nicolas Bréfuel1
1Université de Toulouse, CNRS, CEMES, Toulouse, France.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|July 1, 2026
Summary
New sulfoxide-annulated perylene diimides (PDI-SO) offer advanced anti-counterfeiting solutions. These photoactive materials enable dual optical readouts and molecular verification for secure authentication technologies.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Organic Chemistry
- Photochemistry
Background:
- Modern counterfeiting poses significant societal threats, necessitating advanced detection and elimination strategies.
- Innovation in anti-counterfeiting technologies is vital for intellectual property protection and enhanced security.
- Perylene diimides (PDIs) are known for their photoactive properties, but require further functionalization for advanced applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop novel photoactive materials for advanced anti-counterfeiting applications.
- To synthesize and characterize sulfoxide-annulated perylene diimides (PDI-SO) as a new class of anti-counterfeiting agents.
- To demonstrate the potential of PDI-SO materials for multi-level secure authentication.
Main Methods:
- Chemoselective mono-oxidation of S-bridged perylene diimides to yield red-emissive PDI-SO.
- Visible light-induced deoxygenation of PDI-SO to generate green-emissive PDI-S.
- Patterning of PDI-SO materials using photolithography and maskless techniques.
- Application testing on textiles and electronic substrates.
- Molecular verification using swab-mass spectrometry.
Main Results:
- Successful synthesis of the first sulfoxide-annulated perylene diimides (PDI-SO).
- PDI-SO exhibits red emission, reversibly switching to green emission (PDI-S) upon visible light exposure.
- Materials demonstrate high fluorescence efficiency, thermal stability, and excellent processability.
- Scalable patterning from centimeter to micrometer scales achieved.
- Dual optical readouts and molecular verification confirmed for secure authentication.
Conclusions:
- Sulfoxide-annulated perylene diimides (PDI-SO) represent a versatile platform for advanced anti-counterfeiting.
- The photochromic and processable nature of PDI-SO enables multi-level security features.
- These materials offer a powerful, difficult-to-replicate solution for secure authentication technologies on various substrates.
