Exploring energy transfer between pyrene complexes and europium ions – potential routes to oxygen sensors

Abstract

Pyrene chromophores are shown to exhibit reversible energy transfer to europium ions, resulting in oxygen dependent lanthanide luminescence. Two different pathways can give rise to oxygen dependence: rapid reversible energy transfer between the T₁ state and the emissive state, or slow T₁–⁵D₀ energy transfer on the timescale of triplet state quenching.