Heterocyclic molecules with ESIPT emission: synthetic approaches, molecular diversities, and application strategies

Excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) is one of the most essential emission processes in most circumstances because of its dual emission band in most cases and its high Stokes shifts. These distinguishing properties make ESIPT-based probes more suitable for a variety of applications, including analyte sensors, solid-state sensing mechanisms, optical technologies, and biomarkers for endogenous or exogenous compounds in various settings. As a result, researchers around the world are working on ESIPT emissions and developing different scaffolds for various applications or industry demands. This field of study is rapidly expanding and there is a need for an up-to-date review of synthesis methodologies and applications. This paper provides the highlights of ESIPT-based heterocyclic scaffolds, synthesis strategies, and application scenarios in the literature from 2017 to 2023.