Chemical structures of mannose-substituted tetraphenylethylenes (TPEs), 1a–c.

Schematic representation of a “turn-on” fluorescent sensor for Con A using a sugar-modified tetraphenylethene (TPE) based on an aggregation-induced emission (AIE).

Synthetic routes to the TPE–Ar luminogens.

Plots of the fluorescence quantum yields determined in THF/H2O solutions by using 9,10-diphenylanthracene (F=90% in cyclohexane) as the internal standard versus the fraction of water in the solvent. Insets: photo- graphs of the TPE–Ar luminogens in the THF/water mixture (fw =99%) taken under the illumination of a 365 nm UV lamp. Excitation wavelengths [nm]: 320 for TPE–ptol and TPE–mtol, and 310 for the other six fluorophores.

PL spectra of a) TPE–pTPA and b) TPE–mTPA in THF/H2O mixtures with different water fractions. Concentration [mM]: 10; excitation wavelength [nm]: 310.

The PL spectra of the films of the TPE–Ar luminogens. The thin films were spin-coated onto ITO glass from dilute THF solutions with concentrations of 1 mgmLÀ1. Excitation wavelengths [nm]: 320 for TPE–2pTPA and TPE–2mTPA, 350 for TPE–2ptol and 340 for the rest of the fluorophores.

Calculated molecular orbital amplitude plots of HOMO and LUMO levels of the TPE–Ar luminogens.