Pyrene-Fused Xanthone Derivatives: Synthesis, Emission Properties and Stimuli-Responsive Behavior

We present a facile molecular strategy to expand the π-conjugation of pyrene to achieve a series of novel pyrene-fused xanthone derivatives via acid-catalyzed cyclization and Suzuki-Miyaura coupling. These pyrene-fused xanthone compounds exhibit terminal group-dependent color-tunable emission behavior in the aggregated state with acid-responsive emission behavior.