Anthryl-doped conjugated polyelectrolytes as aggregation-based sensors for nonquenching multicationic analytes.

TitleAnthryl-doped conjugated polyelectrolytes as aggregation-based sensors for nonquenching multicationic analytes.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2007
AuthorsSatrijo, A, Swager, TM
JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society
Volume129
Pagination16020–8
Date Publisheddec
ISSN1520-5126
KeywordsCations, Electrolytes, Electrolytes: chemistry, Fluorescence, Spectrometry, Static Electricity
Abstract

The fluorescence-based detection of nonquenching, multicationic small molecules has been demonstrated using a blue-emitting, polyanionic poly(p-phenylene ethynylene) (PPE) doped with green-emitting exciton traps (anthryl units). Multicationic amines (spermine, spermidine, and neomycin) were found to effectively induce the formation of tightly associated aggregates between the polymer chains in solution. This analyte-induced aggregation, which was accompanied by enhanced exciton migration in the PPE, ultimately led to a visually noticeable blue-to-green fluorescence color change in the solution. The aggregation-based sensor exhibited poor sensitivity toward dicationic and monocationic amines, demonstrating that a conjugated polyelectrolyte sensor relying on nonspecific, electrostatic interactions may still attain a certain level of selectivity.

URLhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18047336
DOI10.1021/ja075573r