A new click reaction generated AIE-active polymer sensor for Hg2+ detection in aqueous solution

We described herein a new AIE-active polymer sensor incorporating triazole moiety for Hg²⁺ detection in aqueous solution. The polymer sensor P1 was synthesized from tetraphenylethene and diazidobenzene via click reaction. It shows typical AIE feature, and emits cyan fluorescence in the mixture of tetrahydrofuran and water, reaching the strongest fluorescence when the fraction of water (f_w) is 90%. In aqueous solution (f_w?=?90%), the polymer sensor can exhibit fluorescence quenching response towards Hg²⁺ over other competing metal ions, with the fluorescence color changed from cyan to almost no emission, which can be clearly observed by the naked eyes under 365?nm UV lamp.