Largely blue-shifted emission through minor structural modifications: molecular design, synthesis, aggregation-induced emission and deep-blue OLED application.

By simply introducing additional groups with different size and conjugation degree to the 2,2'-positions of BTPE, four BTPE derivatives are prepared which give blue or deep-blue EL emissions when used as emitters in non-doped OLEDs, as the result of the tuned dihedral angles of the biphenyl cores (up to ~89°), providing a new approach to design AIE luminogens with blue and deep-blue emissions.