Highly selective and sensitive Hg2+ fluorescent sensors based on a phosphane sulfide derivative
Abstract
A series of fluorescent sensor molecules based on a phosphane sulfide derivative were designed and synthesized. The effect of the distance between the complex entities as well as the number and the length of fluorophores was investigated using both steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence methods. The complexation behavior of these sensor molecules, which have a distinct affinity for Hg2+, is reported. The coordination of Hg2+ induces a photoinduced electron transfer from fluorophore to the complexed mercury and results in a significant decrease of the fluorescence. Theses sensors exhibit very low detection limits in CH3CN/