Synthesis, aggregation-induced emission of a new anti-B18H22-isoquinoline hybrid.

• Synthesis of anti-B 18 H 22 -isoquinoline hybrid for the first time. • Fluorescence modulation of anti-B 18 H 22 by introducing isoquinoline group. • Anti-B 18 H 22 -isoquinoline hybrid displays aggregation-induced emission characteristic. • The potential application of the polystyrene hybrid film. A novel compound (B 18 H 20 (NC9H 7) 2) was synthesized by connecting isoquinoline moieties to the anti-B 18 H 22. The fluorescence emission performance in tetrahydrofuran/water mixtures showed that the compound had obvious aggregation-induced emission characteristic. Upon addition of water in tetrahydrofuran (90:10, v/v) solution, the quantum yield is increased by 0.04–1.41%. The photophysics properties of B 18 H 20 (NC 9 H 7) 2 /polystyrene and B 18 H 20 (NC 9 H 7) 2 /anti-B 18 H 22 /polystyrene film were also studied, and the testing results show that these two films have a wide range of absorption in the visible region. Our work broadens the structure types of anti-B 18 H 22 derivatives and provides a new way to develop new anti-B 18 H 22 fluorescent materials containing isoquinoline units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]