Tetraphenylethene-Modified Colorimetric and Fluorescent Chemosensor for Hg2+ With Aggregation-Induced Emission Enhancement, Solvatochromic, and Mechanochromic Fluorescence Features

Abstract

A tetraphenylethene (TPE)-modified rhodanine derivative was successfully designed and prepared, and this luminophor showed intramolecular charge transfer nature from the TPE unit to the rhodanine-3-acetic acid unit. Interestingly, this luminogen not only exhibited typical aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE) behavior but also showed good cell imaging performance. Remarkably, this AIEE-active TPE-containing rhodanine derivative possessed noticeable solvatochromic fluorescence effect involving multiple fluorescent colors of green, yellow-green, yellow, orange, and red. Meanwhile, this fluorescigenic compound displayed reversible mechanochromic fluorescence behavior based on the mutual transformation of between stable crystalline and metastable amorphous states. On the other hand, this multifunctional fluorophor could selectively and sensitively detect Hg2+ in an acetonitrile solution. Furthermore, this chemosensor could also be used to detect Hg2+ on test paper strips.

Recent advances of aggregation-induced emission luminogens for point-of-care biosensing systems

“…Amongst these, sensors for anions (PO 4 3À , NO 3 À and CN À ) and cations (Cu 2+ , Pb 2+ , Ag + and Hg 2+ ) are the most reported, mostly because of their important biological roles and latent toxicity. [34][35][36] Since many anions tend to react with electron-attracting substances, most AIE-based anion sensors rely on chemical interactions between electrophilic functional groups and anions. This interaction triggers a change in the chemical configuration, which in turn leads to aggregation, dissociation of molecules or a reduction in the degree of electronconjugated systems.…”

Recent Advances in Mechano-responsive Fluorescent Organic and Organometallic Compounds: Structural Diversity, Phase Transformation and Applications

“…The segmented columnar structure was mainly due to the formation of hydrogen bonds between the amide groups of adjacent molecules and the π-stack structure of the pyrene nuclei. [157][158] The described shear-induced isothermal transition from a metastable to a stable phase illustrates a sample of mechanoresponsive luminescent LCs.…”

Research Progress in Mercury Ion Fluorescence Probes Based on Organic Small Molecules

“…5), 其良好 AIE 性能被成功地用于实际水样中 Hg 2 ＋ 的测定. 用来制备"Turn Off"类荧光探针 [55] . 通常, 它们是通过 不饱和键(如 C＝C、 C＝N 等)与 TPE 荧光团的苯基共轭 来构建的 [56] .…”