Chapter 6
BODIPY Based Emitters of Circularly
Polarized Luminescence
Michael John Hall and Santiago de la Moya
Abstract The boron dipyrromethenes (BODIPYs) are a ubiquitous class of fluorescent dyes which have found utility in a wide range of photonics applications.
More recently the BODIPYs have been investigated for their use as small organic
molecule (SOM) emitters of circularly polarized luminescence (CPL). Herein, we
will discuss recent developments in the field of BODIPY-based CPL-SOMs. In
particular, we will review the current design strategies for the induction of chirality
in the otherwise planar BODIPY fluorophore, for both mono- and multi-fluorophore
containing systems, and examine the impact of these designs on the resulting
chiroptical properties, including CPL emission.
6.1 Introduction
It is obvious that CPL-enabling organic systems have great potential for the development of optical materials, and photonic tools based on such materials, because
they combine the advantages offered by their ability to emit circularly polarized light
with those derived from their organic nature [1, 2]. Circularly polarized light endows
the optical tools based on it with a higher spatio-temporal resolution owing to the
additional signal parameters introduced by the circular polarization, both the level
and handedness of the circular polarization [3–8]. Moreover circularly polarized
light can interact selectively with chiral matter, making it indispensable for the study
and discernment of key phenomena based on molecular chirality, omnipresent in the
world around us, Life included [9–11]. In addition, circularly polarized light can be
M. J. Hall (*)
Chemistry, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle
upon Tyne, UK
e-mail: michael.hall@newcastle.ac.uk
S. de la Moya (*)
Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense
de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
e-mail: santmoya@ucm.es
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
T. Mori (ed.), Circularly Polarized Luminescence of Isolated Small Organic
Molecules, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-2309-0_6
117
BODIPY Based Emitters of Circularly
Polarized Luminescence
Michael John Hall and Santiago de la Moya
Abstract The boron dipyrromethenes (BODIPYs) are a ubiquitous class of fluorescent dyes which have found utility in a wide range of photonics applications.
More recently the BODIPYs have been investigated for their use as small organic
molecule (SOM) emitters of circularly polarized luminescence (CPL). Herein, we
will discuss recent developments in the field of BODIPY-based CPL-SOMs. In
particular, we will review the current design strategies for the induction of chirality
in the otherwise planar BODIPY fluorophore, for both mono- and multi-fluorophore
containing systems, and examine the impact of these designs on the resulting
chiroptical properties, including CPL emission.
6.1 Introduction
It is obvious that CPL-enabling organic systems have great potential for the development of optical materials, and photonic tools based on such materials, because
they combine the advantages offered by their ability to emit circularly polarized light
with those derived from their organic nature [1, 2]. Circularly polarized light endows
the optical tools based on it with a higher spatio-temporal resolution owing to the
additional signal parameters introduced by the circular polarization, both the level
and handedness of the circular polarization [3–8]. Moreover circularly polarized
light can interact selectively with chiral matter, making it indispensable for the study
and discernment of key phenomena based on molecular chirality, omnipresent in the
world around us, Life included [9–11]. In addition, circularly polarized light can be
M. J. Hall (*)
Chemistry, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle
upon Tyne, UK
e-mail: michael.hall@newcastle.ac.uk
S. de la Moya (*)
Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense
de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
e-mail: santmoya@ucm.es
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
T. Mori (ed.), Circularly Polarized Luminescence of Isolated Small Organic
Molecules, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-2309-0_6
117