Thermo-responsive poly(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline) and tetraphenylethene hybrids for stimuli-responsive photoluminescence control

Abstract

Poly(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline) (POx), a typical thermo-responsive polymer, was conjugated with a tetraphenylethene derivative, having aggregation induced emission behavior, towards the thermal control of their fluorescence emission. The poly(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline)–tetraphenylethene hybrids selectively formed a host–guest complex with γ-cyclodextrin. The poly(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline)–tetraphenylethene hybrids and its host–guest complex with γ-cyclodextrin showed opposite on–off switching of fluorescence emission upon temperature change.