Controlling Excimer-Origin Circularly Polarized Luminescence of Bipyrenyl-Arginine Peptides by Cyclodextrin in Water

Abstract

Abstract It is important to optimize the photoexcited-state conformation of chiral luminescent molecules to enhance the intensity of circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) and control the direction of CPL rotation. In pyrenyl peptide luminophores, the intensity and sign of CPL is determined by the solvent and intramolecular distance between pyrenyl units in addition to peptide chirality. However, the control of CPL properties in water is difficult, and new methods to control CPL in water are required. In this study, we achieved amplification and control of the sign of excimer-origin CPL by adding γ-cyclodextrin to a flexible bipyrenyl peptide luminophore with two arginine groups in water.