Issue 8, 2020

Conjugated molecules for colourimetric and fluorimetric sensing of sodium and potassium

Abstract

We present a series of conjugated molecules for colourimetric and fluorimetric sensing of alkali metal cations Na+ and K+. The dye molecules are based on an electron-rich bithiophene core bridged by an oligoethylene glycol bridge capable of selectively binding either sodium or potassium. The molecules are further functionalised with electron-rich or electron-deficient moieties to modulate the band gap and thus shift the absorbance across the visible range. We observe distinct colour changes and high selectivity for alkali metal cations at millimolar concentrations. We moreover see highly selective fluorimetric responses with the molecules exhibiting either turn-on, turn-off or ratiometric sensing behaviour. We finally demonstrate a dual optical sensor capable of distinguishing between sodium and potassium in solution.

Graphical abstract: Conjugated molecules for colourimetric and fluorimetric sensing of sodium and potassium

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Research Article
Submitted
16 Mar 2020
Accepted
11 May 2020
First published
25 Jun 2020
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Mater. Chem. Front., 2020,4, 2370-2377

Conjugated molecules for colourimetric and fluorimetric sensing of sodium and potassium

Z. S. Parr and C. B. Nielsen, Mater. Chem. Front., 2020, 4, 2370 DOI: 10.1039/D0QM00157K

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