A mechano-responsive molecule with tricolored switch

We herein report the mechanical force induced reversible tricolored switch of a single organic molecule M-2. It was constructed with two chromophores of an anthracene unit and a rhodamine 6G moiety bridged through an oligopeptide of tetraphenylalamine. The reversible muticolored switch of this molecule is from the synergetic effect of two mechanisms of supermolecular structure change and chemical structure alteration. The different π–π overlapping interactions of neighboring anthracene rings and the ring-opening reaction of rhodamine 6G lead to the switch of three colors of bluish green, blue and yellow.