Solid-state photochromic switches with reversible luminescence modulation property have wide applications in optical data storage, anticounterfeiting, sensing, and bioimaging, however, it is a significant challenge to design and prepare such materials. In the present work, a novel class of chiral and helical binaphthyl-substituted spiropyrans has been synthesized and characterized. The introduction of binaphthyl can not only promote the solid-state luminescence but also achieve the interesting chiroptical switching properties for the potential applications in chiral recognition and circularly polarized luminescence. The single-crystal structures and density functional theory calculations reveal that the presence of strong electron-withdrawing nitro groups can promote photoswitch efficiency by stabilizing the electron-rich conjugated merocyanine with the lower electron cloud density and LUMO/HOMO levels. For charge transfer in excited states, π → π* transition would enhance emission, but n → π* transition and intramolecular charge transfer show the opposite effect. Therefore, these photochromic switches provide a novel paradigm in the design of multiple-responsive, chiral, and luminescent materials.

具有可逆发光调制特性的固态光致变色开关在光学数据存储，防伪，感测和生物成像中具有广泛的应用，然而，设计和制备此类材料是一项重大挑战。在本工作中，已经合成并表征了一类新型的手性和螺旋二萘基取代的螺并吡喃。联萘的引入不仅可以促进固态发光，而且还可以实现有趣的手性转换特性，可用于手性识别和圆偏振发光中。单晶结构和密度泛函理论计算表明，强吸电子硝基的存在可以通过稳定具有较低电子云密度和LUMO / HOMO水平的富电子共轭部花菁来提高光开关效率。对于处于激发态的电荷转移，π→π*跃迁会增强发射，但是n→π*跃迁和分子内电荷转移显示相反的效果。因此，这些光致变色开关为多重响应，手性和发光材料的设计提供了新颖的范例。