Trace analysis of uranyl ion (UO2) in aqueous solution by fluorescence turn-on detection via aggregation induced emission enhancement effect

A sensitive fluorescence turn-on method for trace amounts of uranyl ion (UO₂²⁺) in solution has been developed in this study, based on aggregation induced emission enhancement (AIEE) characteristics of 4-pethoxycarboxyl salicylaldehyde azine (PCSA) induced by complex interaction between UO₂²⁺ and PCSA. Under optimized conditions, a fluorescence enhancement at 540 nm could be observed, which was linearly related to the concentration of UO₂²⁺ in the range of 1–25 ppb (part per billion). Analytical data showed that a detection limit of 0.2 ppb was achieved with the relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) 1.3% (n = 5). The proposed method was successfully utilized in quantifying UO₂²⁺ in fuel processing wastewaters.     

Turn-on fluorescence sensor based on the aggregation of pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine-based coumarin chromophores induced by Hg

We developed a new fluorescent sensor (PPC-S) for Hg²⁺ based on the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) of pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine-based coumarin chromophore (PPC-O). Given the desulfurization reaction with Hg²⁺, AIE inactive PPC-S can be transformed into PPC-O with AIE activity, which can be employed for the fluorescence turn-on detection of Hg²⁺ with satisfactory selectivity and sensitivity in aqueous solutions.     

Design of activatable red-emissive assay for cysteine detection in aqueous medium with aggregation induced emission characteristics

A novel water-soluble red-emissive AIE fluorescence probe for cysteine (Cys) in situ was prepared and the performance of selectivity and sensitivity has been carefully investigated in this study. The probe was established on the electrostatic interaction of sulfonate functionalized tetraphenylethene (TPE) and polycation generated by the reaction between a polymer bearing dinitrobenzenesulfonate groups and Cys. From the experimental results, it was easy to distinguish Cys from glutathione (GSH) and homocysteine (Hcy) with a detection limit of 73 nmol/L. The assay system also possessed strong anti-interference ability against multitudinous amino acids. The Stokes shift was 142 nm and the emission ranged from 550 nm to 850 nm. In addition, double responses in fluorescence and ultraviolet-visible spectra also make the red-emissive assay ideal for sensitive detection and quantification of Cys for most purposes, especially in-situ monitoring of Cys in aqueous medium.     

Quantum chemical insights into the aggregation induced emission phenomena: A QM/MM study for pyrazine derivatives

There have been intensive studies on the newly discovered phenomena called aggregation induced emission (AIE), in contrast to the conventional aggregation quenching. Through combined quantum mechanics and molecular mechanics computations, we have investigated the aggregation effects on the excited state decays, both via radiative and nonradiative routes, for pyrazine derivatives 2,3‐dicyano‐5,6‐diphenylpyrazine ( DCDPP ) and 2,3‐dicyanopyrazino phenanthrene ( DCPP ) in condensed phase. We show that for DCDPP there appear AIE for all the temperature, because the phenyl ring torsional motions in gas phase can efficiently dissipate the electronic excited state energy, and get hindered in aggregate; while for its “locked”‐phenyl counterpart, DCPP , theoretical calculation can only give the normal aggregation quenching. These first‐principles based findings are consistent with recent experiment. The primary origin of the exotic AIE phenomena is due to the nonradiative decay effects. This is the first time that AIE is understood based on theoretical chemistry calculations for aggregates, which helps to resolve the present disputes over the mechanism. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Photophysical Properties of 4′-(p-aminophenyl)-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine

Spectral and photophysical investigations of 4′-(p-aminophenyl)-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine (APT) have been performed in various solvents with different polarity and hydrogen-bonding ability.The emission spectra of APT are found to exhibit dual fluorescence in polar solvents, which attributes to the local excited and intramolecular charge transfer states, respectively. The two-state model is proven out for APT in polar solvent by the time-correlated single photon counting emission decay measurement. Interestingly, the linear relationships of different emission maxima and solvent polarity parameter are found for APT in protic and aprotic solvents, because of the hydrogen bond formation between APT and alcohols at the amino nitrogen N25. Furthermore, the effects of the complexation of the metal ion with tpy group of APT and the hydrogen bond formation between APT with methanol at the terpyridinenitrogen N4—N8—N14 are also presented. The appearance of new long-wave absorption and fluorescence bands indicates that a new ground state of the complexes is formed.     

Spectral properties of intramolecular charge transfer fluorescence probe 1-keto-2-(p-dimethylaminobenzal)-tetrahydronaphthalene

The photophysical properties of a new compound 1-keto-2-(p-dimethylaminobenzal)-tetrahydronaphthalene in various solvents at room temperature were characterized by the absorption and steady-state fluorescence technique. The bathochromic shift on the emission spectra, the broad halfwidth of the fluorescence band and the increase in the excited state dipole moment occurred. These results gave the evidence about the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) character in the emitting singlet state of the compound.     

4'-N,N-二甲氨基黄酮类衍生物的发光行为研究

共轭的分子内电荷转移化合物的光谱和光物理行为的研究，一直受到人们的关注[1-4]．特别在Grabowski、Rettig等人[5-6]提出了所谓“扭曲的分子内电荷转移”(TICT)激发态问题后更是受到重视，这不仅是由于这类化合物具有十分广泛的应用前景，如用作荧光、激光染料、有机非线性光学材料等，而且还存在着一系列有待解决的科学问题．如分子内的电子效应及构家效应等对分子内电荷转移过程及发光行为的影响，电荷转移化合物在经光照激发后可引起分予极化，在周围溶剂分子的作用下，可通过“自去偶”过程达到稳定的电行分离状态即所谓的TICT态…     

Studies of bio-mimetic medium of ionic and non-ionic micelles by a simple charge transfer fluorescence probe N,N-dimethylaminonapthyl-(acrylo)-nitrile

In this report we have studied micellization process of anionic, cationic and non-ionic surfactants using N,N-dimethylaminonapthyl-(acrylo)-nitrile (DMANAN) as an external fluorescence probe. Micropolarity, microviscosity, critical micellar concentration of these micelles based on steady state absorption and fluorescence and time resolved emission spectroscopy of the probe DMANAN show that the molecule resides in the micelle-water interface for ionic micelles and in the core for the non-ionic micelle. The effect of variation of pH of the micellar solution as well as fluorescence quenching measurements of DMANAN provide further support for the location of the probe in the micelles.     

Piezochromic luminescence and aggregation induced emission of 9,10- bis[2-(2-alkoxynaphthalen-1-yl)vinyl]anthracene derivatives

Four derivatives of 9,10-bis[2-(2-alkoxynaphthalen-1-yl)vinyl]anthracene (BNAs) were designed, successfully synthesized and characterized by spectrofluorometer, powder wide-angle X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and differential scanning calorimetry experiments (DSC), etc. It was found that these compounds exhibited aggregation-induced emission phenomenon. Moreover, these target compounds displayed reversible color change from yellow to orange upon pressing and annealing process. Interestingly, all of BNAs obviously presented red-shifted piezofluorochromic (PFC) properties and behaved mainly length dependence of alkoxy group, in which, BNA displayed the largest PFC spectral shift (Δl_PFC=26 nm). The PXRD profiles demonstrated the transformation from crystalline to amorphous state upon grinding, and the mechanism of PFC behaviors was proposed. Thus, changing the length of alkoxyl chain could be an alternative way to tune their PFC behaviors.     

3,6-二(蒽醌-2-乙烯基)-N-乙基咔唑的合成及光谱性质研究

利用N-乙基咔唑和2-甲基蒽醌合成了一种A-π-D-π-A分子内电荷转移型化合物3,6-二(蒽醌-2-乙烯基)-N-乙基咔唑,并对该化合物的光化学和光物理行为进行了研究。荧光光谱表明,该化合物的发光行为对溶剂的极性非常敏感,随着溶剂极性的增大,其荧光最大发射峰有明显红移,并在强极性溶剂乙腈中出现了双荧光现象。该化合物的激发态和基态的偶极矩差值△μ为3.014D,发生了从给体(咔唑基)的N原子到分子两端受体(蒽醌)的羰基的分子内电荷转移。     

5位芘取代的三芳基吡唑啉化合物的光物理行为

合成了化合物 1 ,3 二苯基 5 ( 1 芘基 ) 2 吡唑啉 (DPPP) .由于 5位大取代基的存在 ,使整个分子不在同一平面 ,导致吡唑啉化合物光物理性质的改变 .DPPP光物理行为的研究表明 :即使在较低的浓度下 ( c=1 .0 8× 1 0 -5 mol·L-1) ,DPPP分子间也易生成电荷转移络合物 ;其荧光光谱表现出明显的溶剂极性效应、浓度效应和温度效应 ,不同的环境条件下可发射芘单体的荧光、分子内电荷转移络合物的荧光及分子间电荷转移络合物的荧光 .     

Evaluation of a simple and novel fluorescent anion sensor, 4-quinolone, and modification of the emission color by substitutions based on molecular orbital calculations

4-Quinolone (4-QO) was evaluated as a simple and novel fluorescent anion sensor, and the modification of its emission color was carried out. The series of 4-QO derivatives having molecular orbitals with different energy levels was designed by substitutions at the 6 and 7 positions based on the molecular orbital calculations. All derivatives showed drastic fluorescence enhancements in the presence of F⁻ via the intramolecular charge transfer mechanism, and the successful modification of the emission color was achieved. The anion-induced emission colors of these derivatives as well as their binding affinities for F⁻ could be predicted by ab initio quantum chemical calculations, indicating that the present calculations are useful in designing new anion sensors.     

胆甾醇修饰羟基喹啉锌的聚集诱导荧光蓝移

用稳态光谱以及皮秒瞬态荧光光谱研究了新型有机电致发光分子胆甾醇修饰羟基喹啉锌(Zn(ChQ)2)的聚集诱导荧光蓝移性质. 在Zn(ChQ)2的极性溶剂溶液中, 分子激发后会发生从胆甾醇基团向喹啉环的光致电子转移, 转移后形成了“扭转的分子内电荷转移态”作为新的荧光发射态. 而在薄膜态中, 分子由于聚集产生空间位阻, 不能形成新的荧光发射态, 相对于极性溶剂中, 产生聚集荧光增强效应, 荧光发射峰会蓝移, 发射强度会增强. 在薄膜态中, 全波长上的超快荧光衰减说明存在分子间光致能量转移过程.     

Switching between ligand-to-ligand charge-transfer, intraligand charge-transfer, and metal-to-ligand charge-transfer excited states in platinum(II) terpyridyl acetylide complexes induced by pH change and metal ions

A series of platinum(II) terpyridyl alkynyl complexes, [Pt{4'-(4-R1-C6H4)terpy}(C[triple chemical bond]C-C6H4-R(2)-4)]ClO4 (terpy=2,2':6',2'-terpyridyl; R1=R2=N(CH3)2 (1); R1=N(CH3)2, R2=N-[15]monoazacrown-5 (2); R1=CH3, R2=N(CH3)2 (3); R1=N(CH3)2, R2=H (4); R1=CH3, R2=H (5)), has been synthesized and the photophysical properties of the complexes have been examined through measurement of their UV/Vis absorption spectra, photoluminescence spectra, and transient absorptions. Complex 3 shows a lowest-energy absorption corresponding to a ligand-to-ligand charge-transfer (LLCT) transition from the acetylide to the terpyridyl ligand, whereas 4 shows an intraligand charge-transfer (ILCT) transition from the pi orbital of the 4'-phenyl group to the pi* orbital of the terpyridyl. Upon protonation of the amino groups in 3 and 4, their lowest-energy excited states are switched to dpi(Pt)-->pi*(terpy) metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) states. The lowest-energy absorption for 1 and 2 may be attributed to an LLCT transition from the acetylide to the terpyridyl. Upon addition of an acid to a solution of 1 or 2, the amino group on the acetylide is protonated first, followed by the amino group on the terpyridyl. Thus, the lowest excited state of 1 and 2 can be successively switched from the LLCT state to the ILCT state and then to the MLCT state by controlling the amount of the acid added. Such switches in the excited state are fully reversible upon subsequent addition of a base to the solution. Sequential addition of alkali metal or alkaline earth metal ions and then an acid to a solution of 2 also leads to switching of its lowest excited state from the LLCT state, first to the ILCT state and then to the MLCT state. All of the complexes exhibit a transient absorption of the terpyridyl anion radical, which is present in all of the LLCT, ILCT, and MLCT states. However, the shape of the transient absorption spectrum depends on both the substitution pattern on the terpyridyl moiety and the nature of the excited state.     

Influence of alkyl length on properties of piezofluorochromic aggregation induced emission compounds derived from 9,10-bis[(N-alkylphenothiazin-3-yl)vinyl]anthracene

Three 9,10-bis[(N-alkylphenothiazin-3-yl)vinyl]anthracene derivatives with different propyl, hexyl, and dodecyl side chains (AnPh₃, AnPh₆, and AnPh₁₂) were synthesized and confirmed by standard spectroscopic methods. All of the compounds exhibited obvious aggregation induced emission (AIE) and piezofluorochromic (PFC) properties. The PFC behaviors were investigated and showed that proportional alkyl-length dependent relationship existed not only in the ground states of the compounds, but also in the melted states compared with the fumed states of the compounds. The PFC mechanism was explored and ascribed to the crystalline–amorphous phase transformation. More importantly, these derivatives showed reversible significant PFC properties and reproducibility in various states including fumed, ground, annealed, and melted states, making them promising stimuli-responsive and smart luminescent materials for pressure-sensors, information-recording, and light-emitting device applications.     

Anion detection by aggregation-induced enhanced emission (AIEE) of urea-functionalized tetraphenylethylenes

Substituted tetraphenylethylenes (TPEs) have been prepared that feature four alkyl or aryl urea groups arrayed along the periphery. Exposure of these TPEs to monovalent anions (halide, carboxylate, nitrate, and azide) resulted in enhanced fluorescence emission attributed to aggregation of the TPE molecules via urea-anion hydrogen bonding. Emission enhancement correlated with anion basicity, with fluoride ion eliciting the largest fluorescence response. Increased fluorescence emission could also be detected visually in solutions viewed under UV light. This study demonstrates the feasibility of TPE-based fluorescent anion sensors/detectors, and it is envisioned that additional design modifications may afford anion-selective fluorescent sensors.     

Fluorescence properties of trans-ethyl-p-(dimethylamino) cinnamate in presence of bile acid host

The knowledge of the formation of bile acid micellar aggregates is of great importance because of the biological significance of these compounds and their pharmacological applications. The intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) fluorescence property of trans-ethyl-p-(dimethylamino) cinnamate is used to study the micelles formed by aggregation of three most important bile acids, viz. cholic acid, deoxycholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid by steady state and picosecond time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. The ICT fluorescence band intensity was found to increase with concomitant blue shift with the addition of bile acids. The blue shift in ICT fluorescence maxima as well as decrease in nonradiative decay constants in presence of bile acids indicate the passage of the probe towards the micro domains formed from the aggregated bile acids. Binding constant of the probe with micelles as well as critical micelle concentration and average polarity parameter of the micellar environments were obtained from the variation of fluorescence intensity on increasing concentration of bile acids in the medium.     

Study of maleated ethylene-propylene copolymers by fluorescence: Evidence for succinimide induced polar associations in an apolar solvent

A maleated ethylene-propylene copolymer (EP-MAH) was labelled with 1-naphthalene- and/or 1-pyrenemethylamine to yield an EP copolymer bearing succinimide pendants all labelled with a chromophore. The labelled EPs were reacted with LiAlH₄ so that the polar succinimide linker group between the EP backbone and the chromophore was converted into apolar pyrrolidine units. The resulting products were purified through a gel permeation chromatography column to remove the cleaved off chromophores. FT-IR spectroscopy revealed that after reduction, the peak assigned to the succinimide carbonyls was strongly diminished. UV-vis absorption and steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements were performed in hexane and THF. The reduction of the succinimide carbonyls was found to have a significant effect on the luminescence properties of the labelled EPs. The polar associations taking place between the succinimide moieties in hexane were found to be dramatically decreased after reduction as shown by UV-vis absorption, steady-state excitation and emission fluorescence, time-resolved fluorescence, and fluorescence resonance energy transfer. These results demonstrate that the presence of pyrene aggregates for EP-MAH labelled with 1-pyrenemethylamine is due primarily to the polar succinimide moieties rather than the aromatic pyrene.     

三联吡啶铂(Ⅱ)配合物光谱性质的密度泛函研究

采用密度泛函理论方法(DFT),对三联吡啶铂(Ⅱ)配合物的结构与电子光谱进行了系统研究.筛选的PBE/LanL2DZ(6-311+G(d))—BMK/LanL2DZ(6-31+G(d))方法,计算结果能较好地与实验值吻合:对光谱峰波长的计算,吸收光谱和发射光谱平均误差分别为14 nm和17 nm.通过对前线分子轨道的分析,归属了各光谱峰的跃迁类型.计算结果表明,不同推拉电子效应的取代基对配合物光谱峰的位置和跃迁类型具有较大影响,为已有的实验结论提供了有力的理论阐述.