Phenylacrylonitrile-bridging triphenylene dimers: the columnar liquid crystals with high fluorescence in both solid state and solution

Herein, three phenylacrylonitrile-bridging triphenylene dimers were prepared by condensation and etherification procedure in moderate yields. They exhibited the ordered hexagonal columnar mesophase based on the strong columnar stacking-induced action of two triphenylene units. A subtle balance between fluorescence decrease and AIE effect existed upon adding H 2 O to the THF solution, resulting in high fluorescence for these novel AIE liquid crystals in both solid state and solution for the first time.