Asymmetric center manipulation allows luminescent materials with room temperature phosphorescence and polarized emission

A chemical strategy is presented to develop purely organic materials with room temperature phosphorescence and polarized emission, by reserving or inverting chiral configurations from the substrate. [Display omitted] •Two pairs of organic emitters with different chiral configurations were designed, synthesized and characterized.•The chirality of the asymmetry center can be precisely controlled bottom-up exhibiting a reserved or inverted configuration, without enantiomer separation procedures.•Developed luminescent materials with varied chiral configurations show polarized emission and room temperature phosphorescence up to seconds.•Developed materials have been used for time- and polarization dependent microscopy, with an integrated linear polarization anisotropy factor 0.44. A chemical method to obtain purely organic materials with room temperature phosphorescence and tuned polarized emission is developed. The chirality of the asymmetry center can be precisely controlled bottom-up exhibiting either a reserved or inverted configuration, without enantiomer separation procedures. Developed luminescent materials with varied chiral configurations show polarized photoluminescence and room temperature phosphorescence up to seconds, which can be used for time- and polarization dependent microscopy applications, with an integrated linear polarization anisotropy factor as large as 0.44.