Highly selective phthalocyanine-thymine conjugate sensor for Hg2+ based on target induced aggregation.
Here we describe a highly selective and reversible Hg(2+) sensor, tetra-(thymin-1-yl-acetamido)-phthalocyanine Zn(II) (4T-ZnPc), which combined the optical properties of phthalocyanine (Pc) and the specific interaction of Hg(2+) with thymine (T). The novel phthalocyanine-nucleobase conjugate, 4T-ZnPc, shows a typical ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrum with a split Q-band of monomeric Pc in dimethylformamide (DMF)-water (7:3, v/v) solution, as well as strong fluorescence emission. Upon addition of Hg(2+), the formation of T-Hg-T complex induces aggregation of 4T-ZnPc and results in significant decreases of fluorescence intensity and absorption of the Q-band. Furthermore, the sensor molecules, 4T-ZnPc, show excellent selectivity for Hg(2+), and other ions, such as Pb(2+), Co(2+), Ni(2+), Zn(2+), Cd(2+), Mn(2+), Mg(2+), Ca(2+), Na(+), and K(+), have almost no effect on the optical properties of 4T-ZnPc. This kind of sensor based on Pc may be expanded to the detection of other targets by substituting thymines with other ligands or groups that possess molecular recognition ability.
Liu
Xiangjun
X
Qi
Cui
C
Bing
Tao
T
Cheng
Xiaohong
X
Shangguan
Dihua
D