Phenylacrylonitrile-bridging triphenylene dimers: the columnar liquid crystals with high fluorescence in both solid state and solution

Herein, three phenylacrylonitrile-bridging triphenylene dimers were prepared by condensation and etherification procedure in moderate yields. They exhibited the ordered hexagonal columnar mesophase based on the strong columnar stacking-induced action of two triphenylene units. A subtle balance between fluorescence decrease and AIE effect existed upon adding H2O to the THF solution, resulting in high fluorescence for these novel AIE liquid crystals in both solid state and solution for the first time.