A temperature-regulated molecular redox fluorescence switch based on a triad bearing tetrathiafulvalene, maleimide and pyrene moieties

Triad 1 consisting of TTF, maleimide and pyrene units acts as a temperature-regulated molecular redox fluorescence switch by combining features of the three moieties. Our results show that the fluorescence modulation by redox reaction of TTF unit in triad 1 is controlled by the ‘status’ of the maleimide unit which is involved in the reversible temperature-dependent Diels–Alder reaction with furan. Thus, a resettable temperature-regulated molecular redox fluorescence switch is successfully realized with triad 1.