The mechanodonor-acceptor coupling (MDAC) approach for unidirectional multi-state fluorochromism

Uni-directional multi-state fluorochromic scaffolds are valuable photofunctional molecules and yet scarce. We report a general approach for their design, i.e., mechanodonor-acceptor coupling (MDAC). A photochromic molecule is a mechanodonor, due to its capability to convert photonic energy into mechanical force. Upon proper coupling, it can be used to drive a mechanochromic molecule for uni-directional multi-state fluorochromism. The embodiment of this approach is a rhodamine-dithienylethylene hydride (RDH), which has been successfully employed in super-resolution localization microscopy