As a commonly known chemical warfare agent, sulfur mustard (SM) is a severe vesicant that can induce grievous blisters on the skin and mucous membranes. Because the onset of SM toxicity is fast, a rapid, sensitive, and accurate method for the detection of SM is necessary. However, designing an effective detection method for SM is challenging because SM does not have any traditional molecular recognition sites. In this study, a fluorescence probe for the detection of SM and an SM simulant (2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide, CEES) was developed based on the reaction of benzenemethanethiol with the analytes. A non-emissive mercaptomethylphenyl-modified tetraphenylethene (TPE) probe was designed and synthesized. This probe can emit strong fluorescence upon reacting with CEES for 5 minutes in an aqueous solution in the presence of metal ions due to the formation of a sandwich-type complex, which can effectively restrict the rotation of the phenyl rings of TPE. Furthermore, this procedure exhibited high sensitivity for analytes and can be applied to the detection of CEES in soil. As a TPE derivative, this probe also exhibited a reversible solid-state luminescence color switching between blue emission (467 nm) in the crystal state and green emission (516 nm) in the amorphous state upon fuming, grinding and heating. These results indicate that S4 has potential as a multifunctional material of a “smart” luminophor and an AIE-active fluorescent probe for SM.

中文翻译：

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巯基甲基苯基改性的四苯基乙烯作为多功能发光体：用于刺激性芥子油模拟物的刺激响应发光颜色转换和AIE活性化学计量计

作为一种众所周知的化学战剂，硫芥末（SM）是一种严重的表面活性剂，可在皮肤和粘膜上引起严重的水泡。由于SM毒性起效快，因此需要一种快速，灵敏且准确的方法来检测SM。但是，为SM设计有效的检测方法具有挑战性，因为SM没有任何传统的分子识别位点。在这项研究中，用于检测SM和SM模拟物（2-氯乙基乙基硫醚，CEES）的荧光探针）是根据苯甲硫醇与分析物的反应开发的。设计并合成了一种非发射性巯基甲基苯基改性的四苯基乙烯（TPE）探针。在存在金属离子的情况下，在水溶液中与CEES反应5分钟后，由于形成夹心型络合物，该探针可以发出强荧光，从而可以有效限制TPE苯环的旋转。此外，该方法对分析物具有很高的灵敏度，可用于CEES的检测在土壤中。作为TPE衍生物，此探针在发烟，研磨和加热时，在晶体态的蓝色发射（467 nm）和非晶态的绿色发射（516 nm）之间也表现出可逆的固态发光颜色切换。这些结果表明，S4具有作为“智能”发光体和SM的AIE活性荧光探针的多功能材料的潜力。