Luminescence response of the solid state polynuclear copper(I) iodide materials [CuI(4-picoline)]x to volatile organic compounds

Exposure of the polymeric solid [CuI(4-pic)](infinity) to either liquid or vapor toluene leads to disappearance of this material's characteristic room temperature blue emission (lambda(max) 437 nm) and the appearance of the yellow emission (lambda(max) 580 nm) indicative of the [CuI(4-pic)](4) tetramer; the process is reversed when the latter is exposed to liquid or vapor n-pentane.