High-contrast reversible mechanochromic luminescence of a conjugated anthracene-based molecule

•A anthracene-based compound with large steric effect was synthesized.•The title compound BDPIA emits strong fluorescence in the solid state.•BDPIA exhibits mechanochromic property with high-contrast.•The mechanochromism of BDPIA is ascribed to the regulation of intermolecular π–π stacking.

We report a solid-emissive anthracene-based compound with rigid conjugated structure, which exhibits strong blue fluorescence in the crystalline state. Grinding the crystals turns its initial blue emission to green with higher emission efficiency, and the blue emission could be recovered by fume with isobutanol. The phenomenon was suggested to be due to the regulation of π–π stacking between the aromatic rings by mechanical and fume stimuli.

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