Switching of Circularly Polarized Luminescence via Dynamic Axial Chirality Control of Chiral Bis(Boron Difluoride) Complexes with Salen Ligands

The intensity and handedness of circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) were successfully controlled by dynamic molecular motion in solutions. Bis(boron difluoride) complexes with chiral salen ligands were synthesized and their photophysical properties were investigated. Although these complexes showed rapid molecular rotation about the C−N bond axis in solution at room temperature, two conformers assigned as atropisomers were observed in the NMR spectra at low temperature. Furthermore, the equilibrium of these atropisomers was found to change depending on the external environment, such as the solvent and temperature, allowing precise control of the intensity and handedness of CPL without luminescence color shifts. Theoretical calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) revealed that intramolecular chiral exciton coupling is the key to changes in CPL properties.