Difluoroboron β-diketonate dyes: Spectroscopic properties and applications

Difluoroboron β-diketonate complexes (BF2bdks) are highly luminescent organoboron complexes with several attributes such as strong fluorescence in both solution and solid state, large extinction coefficients, tunable fluorescent emission, and two-photon excited fluorescence. Some BF2bdks exhibit mechanochromic properties and room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) in solid state. Due to their rich photophysical properties, BF2bdks have shown wide applications in various areas. This review focuses on the basic chemistry and spectroscopic properties of BF2bdks in solution and solid state, as well as their self-assemblies and applications in biosensing, bioimaging and optoelectronic devices. A brief summary and outlook on BF2bdks chemistry are also included.