Elastic Flexibility in an Optically Active Naphthalidenimine-Based Single Crystal

Organic single crystals that combine mechanical flexibility and optical properties are important for developing flexible devices, but examples of such remain scarce. Both activity depend on the underlying crystal packing nature intermolecular interactions present in solid state. Hence, both can be expected to tunable by small chemical modifications organic molecule. By incorporating a chlorine atom, reportedly mechanically (E)-1-(4-bromo-phenyl)iminomethyl-2-hydroxyl-naphthalene (BPIN) produces (E)-1-(4-bromo-2-chloro-phenyl)iminomethyl-2-hydroxyl-naphthalene (BCPIN). BCPIN show elastic bending similar BPIN upon stress, exhibit remarkable difference their as result modification backbone This work thus demonstrates molecular materials can, principle, tuned independently.