Supramolecular Polymerization of Biphenyl-Cyanostilbenes. Triggering Circularly Polarized Luminescence by Self-Assembly.

We report on the synthesis of a series of cyano-luminogens with cyanostilbene fragments, benzamide units, and a nonplanar biphenyl core. Benzamide units drive supramolecular polymerization, forming helical aggregates via kinetically controlled self-assembly. A sergeants-and-soldiers experiment revealed frustrated asymmetry amplification due to the contamination of linear dichroism. The planarization of the central π-conjugated systems enhances aggregation-induced emission affording circularly polarized luminescence-active helical aggregates.