Beschreibung:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>A variety of <jats:italic>N</jats:italic>‐substituted acridone derivatives were synthesized to make a comparison of their properties according to the number of acridone unit and the nature of substituent. The spectroscopic and electrochemical investigations show that the properties of <jats:italic>N</jats:italic>‐substituted acridone derivatives are substituent‐dependent. With benzene, biphenyl, fluorene and carbazole as linkers, the acridone derivatives demonstrate the properties of acridone itself due to a very weak intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) between acridone and the linker. However, significant ICT process is observed when the electron withdrawing groups are involved to form the donor–acceptor systems with acridone as the electron donating groups, which is different from the previously reported results of which acridone is usually used as an electron acceptor. Moreover, thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) is observed with anthraquinone as linker. The theoretical calculations reveal that the <jats:italic>N</jats:italic>‐substitutions have more influences on the locations and energy levels of the LUMOs than those of the HOMOs.</jats:p>