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RSC Advances
sensitivity and selectivity. The test showed a wide dynamic
range from 0.2 mM to 2 mM, with a detection limit of 0.2 mM.
The compound also exhibits excellent selectivity in the presence
of other common cations, such as Hg2+, Al3+, Pb2+, Cd2+, Ca2+,
Mn2+, K+, Zn2+ and Ni2+, which could meet the selective
requirements for practical applications. Moreover, the syn-
thesised compound possesses wide energy gap (Eg ¼ 4.09 eV),
excellent quantum efficiency (FF ¼ 0.99), high triplet energy
ꢀ
(ET ¼ 2.98 eV), good thermal stability (Td ¼ 325 C) and glass-
transition temperature of approximately 100 ꢀC. These superior
performances suggest that the molecule can be used in various
applications.
Fig. 4 Absorption spectra of compounds 5 (a) and 7 (b) (10 mM) upon
addition of 0, 0.2, 2.0, 20 and 200 mM Cu2+ in THF–H2O (9 : 1, v/v).
presence of different Cu2+ concentrations. As shown in Fig. 4b,
Acknowledgements
the absorption wavelength of compound
7 signicantly
The authors greatly acknowledge the nancial support by
the Special Research Fund of High-Level Talents (project
Rczx201017) and Research and Development project (project
gxjs2010-zdgg02-05) in Shihezi University.
redshied and the molar absorption coefficient increased in the
presence of Cu2+. Compared with compound 7, the maximum
absorption wavelength of compound 5 showed no obvious
redshi due to the distances and weak interaction between
uorophores of compound 5 and Cu2+.45 Thus, the absorption
wavelength of compound 5 was almost unchanged in the
presence of Cu2+. Meanwhile, the emission spectra (Fig. S3†) of
compound 7 indicated that its uorescence intensity decreased
with the increase in Cu2+ concentrations. In addition, obvious
uorescence quenching was observed when the concentration
of Cu2+ reached 1.2 mM. These data suggest that Cu2+ interacts
with the electron-accepting TTT groups of compound 5, thereby
causing a change in the uorescence intensity of compound 5.
In addition, Cu2+ is a paramagnetic ion with an unlled d
orbital that could lead to strong uorescence quenching of
nearby uorophores via electron or energy transfer.46–48 Mean-
while, we compared the trend of uorescence intensity of
compounds 5 and 7 with different Cu2+ concentrations; their
decreased tendency of uorescence intensity were similar
(Fig. S4†). However, the detection range of compound 5 was a
little wider than that of compound 7. This difference further
conrms the farther distances and the weaker interaction
Notes and references
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Conclusions
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decline response towards Cu2+ in THF–H2O solution with high
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RSC Adv., 2014, 4, 13161–13166 | 13165