| Abstract: | Our new, simple, and accurate colorimetric method is based on diarylethenes (DAEs) for the rapid detection of a wide range of primary and secondary amines. The probes consist of aldehyde‐ or ketone‐substituted diarylethenes, which undergo an amine‐induced decoloration reaction, selectively to give the ring‐closed isomer. Thus, these probes can be activated at the desired moment by light irradiation, with a sensitivity that allows the detection of amines at concentrations as low as 10−6 m in solution. In addition, the practical immobilization of DAEs on paper makes it possible to detect biogenic amines, such as cadaverine, in the gas phase above a threshold of 12 ppbv within 30 seconds. |
