Aggregation-induced emission spectra of triphenylamine salicylaldehyde derivatives via excited-state intramolecular proton transfer revealed by molecular spectral and dynamics simulations

Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) spectra accompanied by excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) for two triphenylamine salicylaldehyde derivatives (namely, TS and TS-OMe) are investigated by performing molecular spectral and dynamics simulations associated with the hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) at the quantum level of the time-dependent density functional theory. The simulated emission spectral peaks and Stokes' shifts are in good agreement with the experimental results for both TS and TS-OMe. Furthermore, the AIE spectral mechanisms are well explained to be associated with the ESIPT processes for both TS and TS-OMe monomers in the aggregated crystal state, while the AIE spectra mechanism for the TS-OMe (TS) dimer is accompanied by intermolecular charge-transfer excitation process. Besides, the TS dimers also contributed to the AIE mechanisms in the crystal with the intermolecular charge-transfer from one monomer to another. In addition, the TS dimers are contributed to the AIE mechanisms in the crystal with the intermolecular charge-transfer from one monomer to another. On the other hand, simulated emission spectra for both the TS and TS-OMe monomers in acetonitrile solution are involved in mixed emission with and without the ESIPT process, as interpreted by nonadiabatic molecular dynamics simulation. It is also briefly addressed that the emission spectra in the solution are weak and enhanced in the crystal. The present study provides a great physical insight into the design of highly efficient AIE compounds.