Here we present a new, highly photoluminescent PTCDI derivative 4 (Φ f = 0.65 in methylcyclohexane (MCH)) which self-assembles into well defined one-dimensional columnar stacks that exhibit similar spectacular optical features to those reported by Forrest and co-workers for archetype organic crystals of PTCDA. 6 As shown in Scheme 1, perylene bisimide 4 was synthesized by imidization of PTCDA with tridodecylaniline 3 using Zn(OAc) 2 as catalyst. Aniline ...