title: Rotaxanated conjugated sensory polymers.
abstract: Two highly emissive conjugated polymers with tethered rotaxane repeat units are reported. Hydrogen bonding between acidic alcohols and the N-heteroaromatic groups in the rotaxanes attenuates polymer fluorescence. In addition, the rotaxane groups create precise three-dimensional pockets for metal binding, which results in fluorescence quenching. Exposing thin films of Zn-doped polymers to alcohol vapors reverses the quenching by up to 25%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
authors.forename: Phoebe H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Kwan
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: MacLachlan
authors.forename: Timothy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Swager