Tailoring Fluorescence Emission of Diketopyrrolopyrrole Dyes by an Aggregation-induced Emission Coupled Excited-state Intramolecular Proton Transfer Process.

Two diketopyrrolopyrrole derivatives (DPP1 and DPP2) are used for generating multiple luminescent colors (yellow-orange-red-deep red) in solution, nanoparticle, aggregate and solid states through an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) coupled excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process. They are potentially useful for bioimaging due to their good biocompatibility and large Stoke shifts.