Synthesis and optoelectronic properties of a solution-processed red-emitting tetra(arylvinyl)anthracene cruciform

•A solid-state red-emitting anthracene-centered cruciform was synthesized.•The cruciform exhibited aggregation-enhanced emission and piezofluorochromism.•The cruciform afforded commendable EL performances based on a solution-processed non-doped device.

In this paper, we report the synthesis and optoelectronic properties of a new anthracene-centered cruciform, 2,6-bis(9,9-di(2-ethylhexyl)fluorene-2-yl-vinyl-2)- 9,10-bis(9-(2-ethylhexyl)carbazole-3-yl-vinyl-2)anthracene (FCA). FCA was prepared by the Heck coupling 2,6-bis(diethoxylphosphorylmethyl)-9,10- dibromoanthracene and 9-(2-ethylhexyl)-3-vinylcabazole, followed by the Wittig–Horner reaction with 9,9-di(2-ethylhexyl)-2-formylfluorene. The existence of strongly twisted 9,10-branch made FCA exhibit moderate aggregation-enhanced emission and piezofluorochromism, and the introduction of numerous branched alkyl chains render FCA with good solubility and film-forming ability. FCA could be used as solution-processed light-emitting layer to afford red emission with peak wavelength of 612 nm and maximal luminous efficacy of 1.3 cd/A.