新型螺吡喃衍生物: 离子传感和分子水平的信息处理

为实现金属离子检测和分子水平的信息处理, 合成了一类新型的含有功能配位基团的螺吡喃衍生物(SP1-SP4). 研究发现: 在没有UV光照的条件下, 金属离子可以促进螺吡喃(SP2和SP4)开环并形成稳定可逆的络合物(MC-Mⁿ⁺). 紫外-可见吸收光谱研究表明, 在UV光照前加入不同的金属离子会引起SP2 和SP4 的光学性质的特征变化, 因此提供了一种简易的通过裸眼就能辨别金属离子的比色方法. 荧光光谱研究表明, 这类化合物能够高灵敏高选择性地检测锌离子. 此外, 基于吸收光谱和荧光光谱的变化, 这类螺吡喃衍生物可以用于构建组合的逻辑门, 执行分子水平的信息处理, 从而展现了其在化学或环境传感和未来的分子计算机领域的潜在应用前景.

New Spiropyran Derivatives:Ion Sensing and Information Processing at the Molecular Level

We have designed and synthesized a new class of spiropyran derivatives (SP1-SP4) with functional chelating groups, such as pyridine or quinoline moieties and a methoxy group (―OMe), for use in metal ion sensing and information processing at the molecular level. It is notable that metal ions can favor coordination with chelating groups and facilitate the photoisomerization of spiropyran molecules from the closed form to the open merocyanine form without UV irradiation, thus leading to significant changes in their chemical and physical properties. UV-Vis absorption studies indicated that SP2 and SP4 exhibited metal ion-dependent reversible binding affinities that result in different hypsochromic shifts for the MC-Mⁿ⁺ complexes. These changes in color can be recognized by eye, thus offering an easy colorimetric method for metal ion detection. Further emission studies distinguished them as promising candidates for Zn2+ detection with good sensitivity and selectivity. Moreover, on the basis of their absorption and fluorescence spectra, several combinational logic gates were constructed for information processing at the molecular level. These results demonstrate that spiropyran derivatives with desired functionalities show great potential not only for chemical or environmental sensors, but also for future molecular computing.