Bright white-light emission from a single organic compound in the solid state

White-light-emitting materials and devices have attracted enormous interest because of their great potential for various lighting applications. We herein describe the light-emitting properties of a series of new difunctional organic molecules of remarkably simple structure consisting of two terminal 4-pyridone push-pull subunits separated by a polymethylene chain. They were found to emit almost "pure" white light as a single organic compound in the solid state, as well as when incorporated in a polymer film. To the best of our knowledge, they are the simplest white-light-emitting organic molecules reported to date. A bright idea: Remarkably simple organic molecules, based on two 4-pyridone head groups located at the termini of a polymethylene chain, emit bright white light in the solid state. The emission band, which results from excited monomer molecules and stacked excimers, is almost flat over the visible range. Incorporation into a polymeric material gives white-light-emitting films, a feature of potential applied interest.