Perylene monoimides and diimides exhibit dichroic properties (direction-dependent absorption of light) and fluorescence emission. In addition, perylene diimides are potentially useful as n-type semi-conducting materials. By molecular design, the control of intermolecular interactions of these compounds was achieved leading to perylene monoimides and diimides that exhibit liquid-crystalline properties or anisotropic (direction-dependent) solid-state properties. Single crystals of these compounds show anisotropic fluorescence emission at 600-700 nm. Template-guided organization of these compounds led to the formation of anisotropic fluorescent materials and semi-conducting materials in micropatterns.