Detection of cationic guest molecules by quenching of luminescence of a self-assembled host molecule consisting of terbium(III) and calix[4]arene-p-tetrasulfonates

By self-assembly in aqueous solution, calix- (CAS) and thiacalix[4]arene-p-tetrasulfonate (TCAS) formed luminescent complexes Tb^III·(CAS)₂ and Tb^III·TCAS, respectively, which were utilized as a host for cationic guests. Addition of 1-ethylpyridinium guest quenched luminescence of Tb^III·(CAS)₂ in accordance with the Stern-Volmer (SV) relation with a low detection limit (D.L.) of 5.94 × 10⁻⁸ M (S/N = 3, M ≡ mol dm⁻³). On the other hand, 1-ethylquinolinium quenched luminescence of Tb^III·TCAS most efficiently, affording a very low D.L. (6.71 × 10⁻¹⁰ M). The agreement of the SV coefficients obtained with luminescent intensity (K_SV,all = 6.74 × 10⁶ M⁻¹) and lifetime (K_SV,Tb = 6.50 × 10⁶ M⁻¹) implied that dynamic quenching of ⁵D₄ excited state of Tb^III was predominant in the quenching processes. The quenching rate was estimated to be k_q,Tb = 9.94 × 10⁹ M⁻¹ s⁻¹, which was as fast as diffusion-limited rate. Quenching of Tb^III·(CAS)₂ was also applied to detection of NAD⁺, with a D.L. of 2.78 × 10⁻⁷ M.