2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Liu et al. Sci China Chem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
detection and dual compatibility in solid and solution media
10–12]. However, it is known that conventional fluorescent
[
material usually aggregated in aqueous solution and that
fluorescence is usually weakened or quenched due to strong
intermolecular π-π interaction, which is often referred as
aggregation-induced quenching (ACQ) [13,14]. But, some
fluorescent materials based on aggregation-induced emission
or enhanced emission (AIE/AIEE) have opposite properties,
and their aggregation states have a strong emission [15,16].
Although several TNP probes based on the AIE effect have
been reported [17–19a], the relationship between the mor-
phology of aggregation state of the probes and the sensing
property is less concerned [19b]. Generally, the emission
enhancement of AIE materials (with nanoparticles, dots,
ribbon-like or hollow nanospheres morphology) is around 1
to 20 times [20–24] relative to its original state. The ag-
gregation states are rather amorphous, so the fluorescence
enhancement is rather small. As we know, a crystal state will
be highly advantageous for reducing the non-radiative tran-
sition and emitting strong fluorescence.
Figure 1 Molecular structure of DMA (color online).
Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectra were re-
corded on a model Jasco V-670 spectrophotometer (Japan).
Fluorescence spectra were performed using a model HOR-
IBA Fluoromax Spectrofluorometer (Japan). Materials Stu-
dio was used for dynamics (Forcite plus) and orbitals
(DMol3) calculation, using GGABLYP as the density func-
tional theory (DFT)-method and COMPASS II (dynamics)/
Dreilding (orbitals) as the force field. The scanning electron
microscope (SEM) by JEOL 7800F (Japan) is used to ob-
serve surface topograph. Fluorescence microscope OLYM-
PUS, IX51 (Japan). Zeta potential and Nano particle
characterization. Experimental analyts: 2,4,6-trinitrophenol
In this contribution, we endeavoured to develop a crystal
aggregation enhanced fluorescence probe for a highly effi-
cient TNP detection in aqueous phase. Herein, we developed
a small molecule 2,5-dimethoxyterephthalaldehyde (DMA,
Figure 1), whose light emission is enhanced by an increased
(TNP), nitrobenzene (NB), 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene (TNT), ni-
troglycerine (NG), methylnitrite (MN), cyclotrimethylene-
trinitramine (RDX), and pentaerithrityl tetranitrate (PETN),
1
,3-dinitrobenzene (DNB).
water ratio in a tetrahydrofuran (THF)-H O mixed solution
2
2
.2 Synthesis of DMA
via the formation of the microcrystal structure. We found that
emission maximum of DMA in the mixed solution reached
its 38 times compared with that in THF solution. By this
probe design strategy, DMA exhibited excellent response to
TNP in aqueous solution by a microcrystal aggregation
collapse upon interaction with TNP molecules. The detection
limit could be as low as 1.2×10 M, which is the best result
in TNP aqueous fluorescence detection [4,17,25,26]. NMR
spectra and quantum chemical calculation were performed to
clarify the sensing mechanism.
To a solution of 1,4-dimethoxybenzene (1) (10.0 g,
2.3 mmol) in 1,4-dioxane (30 mL), HCHO solution (38% in
water, 5 mL) and paraformaldehyde (3.0 g, 99.0 mmol) were
added in turn [27]. The resulting mixture was heated to
7
9
0 °C, concentrated HCl (2×5 mL) was added during 30 min
−
7
intervals. Heating continued for 1 h and a further 30 mL of
concentrated HCl was added. The reaction mixture was
cooled to room temperature to afford a white precipitate,
which was obtained by filtration and dried under vacuum.
The crude product was recrystallized with acetone to give
product 1 (4.5 g, 26%) as a white precipitate. A solution of
product 1 (15.0 g, 63.8 mmol) and hexamethylenetetramine
(18.0 g, 127.6 mmol) in chloroform (50 mL) was stirred at
reflux for 24 h. After cooling to r.t., the pale yellow pre-
cipitate was collected by filtration and redissolved in water
2
Experimental
2
.1 Materials and methods
,4-dimethoxybenzene, triethylamine
1
(TEA),
di-
chloromethane (DCM), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), ethyl
acetate, 1,4-dioxane, methanol, toluene, tetrahydrofuran
(30 mL). The aqueous solution was acidified with
CH COOH (10 mL) and stirred at 90 °C for 24 h. The mix-
3
(
THF), acetonitrile (ACN), acetone, chloroform, acetic acid,
ethanol, methanesulfonyl chloride, anhydrous sodium sulfate
Na SO ), formaldehyde (38% in water), paraformaldehyde,
ture was cooled to r.t. and extracted with DCM (200 mL).
The organic phase was washed three times with H O
2
(
2
4
(
200 mL) and dried over anhydrous Na SO . After solvent
2 4
concentrated hydrochloric acid (37% in water, conc. HCl)
and hexamethylenetetramine were purchased from MACK-
evaporation, the residue was recrystallized from CH CH OH
3
2
1
1
to yield DMA (5.5 g, 45%) as a bright yellow solid. H NMR
LIN reagent (China). H-nuclear magnetic resonance
1
13
(300 MHz, CDCl ) δ 10.50 (s, 2H), 7.26 (s, 2H), 3.95 (s, 6H).
3
(
H NMR) and C NMR spectra were recorded on a Bruker
AVANCZ 500/600 spectrometer (Germany) at
00/600 MHz, using CDCl , d -DMSO as the solvent at
1
3
C NMR (101 MHz, CDCl ) δ 189.19, 155.73, 129.15,
3
5
2
110.92, 77.33, 77.01, 76.70, 56.23. FTMS for C10
calcd, m/z 195.1 [M+1] ; Anal. Calcd. (194.1).
H
10
O
4
:
3
6
+
98 K, and tetramethylsilane (TMS) as the internal standard.