Material Design for Piezochromic Luminescence: Hydrogen-Bond-Directed Assemblies of a Pyrene Derivative

A novel design principle for materials showing piezochromic luminescence is proposed. Amide-substituted tetraphenylpyrene C6TPPy, composed of a planar fluorescent core and multiple hydrogen-binding sites, displays a remarkable change and restoration of its luminescence color by pressing with a spatula and heating, respectively.