Although luminescent crown ether assemblies have played a crucial role in
numerous fields in the current research, some uncharted terrains still need chemists
to explore. For example, in the field of biological field, how to develop the biocompatible and NIR luminescence systems that can be introduced into cells, even living
organisms, is a large unexplored area. In the field of solid-state lighting, how to solve
the problems of the low stabilities and low fluorescence quantum yields of these
systems also needs to be further investigated. In the field of luminescent supramolecular polymers, how to construct a supramolecular polymer with high mechanical
strength, self-healing, and excellent fluorescence characteristics still remains a major
difficulty. In a word, this is just the beginning of the journey to prepare ever more
sophisticated and complex structures for application in the luminescent materials
based on crown ether assembly. Future developments involving crown ether assembly are unconceivable, and we firmly believe that photoluminescent crown ether
assembly will play an irreplaceable role in the near future.
Acknowledgments We thank NNSFC (21432004, 21672113, 21772099, 21801112,
21861132001), Key Scientific Research Projects of Higher Education of He’nan Province
(19A150003), and the Scientific & Technological Project of He’nan Province (172102310476)
for financial support.
References
1. Pedersen CJ (1967) Cyclic polyethers and their complexes with metal salts. J Am Chem Soc
89:2495–2496
2. Allwood BL, Shahriarizavareh H, Stoddart JF, Williams DJ (1987) Complexation of paraquat
and diquat by a bismetaphenylene-32-crown-10 derivative. J Chem Soc Chem Commun
14:1058–1061
3. Zheng B, Wang F, Dong SY, Huang FH (2012) Supramolecular polymers constructed by crown
ether-based molecular recognition. Chem Soc Rev 41:1621–1636
4. Kay ER, Leigh DA (2015) Rise of the molecular machines. Angew Chem Int Ed 54:
10080–10088
5. Chehardoli G, Bahmani A (2019) The role of crown ethers in drug delivery. Supramol Chem
31:221–238
6. Kim J-O, Kim JY, Lee J-C, Park S, Moon HR, Kim D-P (2019) Versatile processing of metalorganic framework-fluoropolymer composite inks with chemical resistance and sensor applications. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 11:4385–4392
7. Kolemen S, Akkaya EU (2018) Reaction-based BODIPY probes for selective bio-imaging.
Coord Chem Rev 354:121–134
8. Ge ZS, Liu SY (2013) Functional block copolymer assemblies responsive to tumor and
intracellular microenvironments for site-specific drug delivery and enhanced imaging performance. Chem Soc Rev 42:7289–7325
9. Zamora A, Vigueras G, Rodríguez V, Santana MD, Ruiz J (2018) Cyclometalated iridium(III)
luminescent complexes in therapy and phototherapy. Coord Chem Rev 360:34–76
10. Yin C, Wen GH, Liu C, Yang BG, Lin SE, Huang JW, Zhao PC, Wong SHD, Zhang KY, Chen
XY, Li G, Jiang XH, Huang JP, Pu KY, Wang LD, Bian LM (2018) Organic semiconducting
polymer nanoparticles for photoacoustic labeling and tracking of stem cells in the second nearinfrared window. ACS Nano 12:12201–12211
11. Leung KC-F, Aricó F, Cantrill SJ, Stoddart JF (2005) Template-directed dynamic synthesis of
mechanically interlocked dendrimers. J Am Chem Soc 127:5808–5810
5 Photoluminescent Crown Ether Assembly
133
numerous fields in the current research, some uncharted terrains still need chemists
to explore. For example, in the field of biological field, how to develop the biocompatible and NIR luminescence systems that can be introduced into cells, even living
organisms, is a large unexplored area. In the field of solid-state lighting, how to solve
the problems of the low stabilities and low fluorescence quantum yields of these
systems also needs to be further investigated. In the field of luminescent supramolecular polymers, how to construct a supramolecular polymer with high mechanical
strength, self-healing, and excellent fluorescence characteristics still remains a major
difficulty. In a word, this is just the beginning of the journey to prepare ever more
sophisticated and complex structures for application in the luminescent materials
based on crown ether assembly. Future developments involving crown ether assembly are unconceivable, and we firmly believe that photoluminescent crown ether
assembly will play an irreplaceable role in the near future.
Acknowledgments We thank NNSFC (21432004, 21672113, 21772099, 21801112,
21861132001), Key Scientific Research Projects of Higher Education of He’nan Province
(19A150003), and the Scientific & Technological Project of He’nan Province (172102310476)
for financial support.
References
1. Pedersen CJ (1967) Cyclic polyethers and their complexes with metal salts. J Am Chem Soc
89:2495–2496
2. Allwood BL, Shahriarizavareh H, Stoddart JF, Williams DJ (1987) Complexation of paraquat
and diquat by a bismetaphenylene-32-crown-10 derivative. J Chem Soc Chem Commun
14:1058–1061
3. Zheng B, Wang F, Dong SY, Huang FH (2012) Supramolecular polymers constructed by crown
ether-based molecular recognition. Chem Soc Rev 41:1621–1636
4. Kay ER, Leigh DA (2015) Rise of the molecular machines. Angew Chem Int Ed 54:
10080–10088
5. Chehardoli G, Bahmani A (2019) The role of crown ethers in drug delivery. Supramol Chem
31:221–238
6. Kim J-O, Kim JY, Lee J-C, Park S, Moon HR, Kim D-P (2019) Versatile processing of metalorganic framework-fluoropolymer composite inks with chemical resistance and sensor applications. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 11:4385–4392
7. Kolemen S, Akkaya EU (2018) Reaction-based BODIPY probes for selective bio-imaging.
Coord Chem Rev 354:121–134
8. Ge ZS, Liu SY (2013) Functional block copolymer assemblies responsive to tumor and
intracellular microenvironments for site-specific drug delivery and enhanced imaging performance. Chem Soc Rev 42:7289–7325
9. Zamora A, Vigueras G, Rodríguez V, Santana MD, Ruiz J (2018) Cyclometalated iridium(III)
luminescent complexes in therapy and phototherapy. Coord Chem Rev 360:34–76
10. Yin C, Wen GH, Liu C, Yang BG, Lin SE, Huang JW, Zhao PC, Wong SHD, Zhang KY, Chen
XY, Li G, Jiang XH, Huang JP, Pu KY, Wang LD, Bian LM (2018) Organic semiconducting
polymer nanoparticles for photoacoustic labeling and tracking of stem cells in the second nearinfrared window. ACS Nano 12:12201–12211
11. Leung KC-F, Aricó F, Cantrill SJ, Stoddart JF (2005) Template-directed dynamic synthesis of
mechanically interlocked dendrimers. J Am Chem Soc 127:5808–5810
5 Photoluminescent Crown Ether Assembly
133