title: Detection and identification of alkylating agents by using a bioinspired "chemical nose".
abstract: Alkylating agents are simple and reactive molecules that are commonly used in many and diverse fields such as organic synthesis, medicine, and agriculture. Some highly reactive alkylating species are also being used as blister chemical-warfare agents. The detection and identification of alkylating agents is not a trivial issue because of their high reactivity and simple structure. Herein, we report on a new multispot luminescence-based approach to the detection and identification of alkylating agents. In order to demonstrate the potential of the approach, seven pi-conjugated oligomers and polymers bearing nucleophilic pyridine groups, 1-7, were adsorbed onto a solid support and exposed to vapors of alkylators 8-15. The alkylation-induced color-shift patterns of the seven-spot array allow clear discrimination of the different alkylators. The spots are sensitive to minute concentrations of alkylators and, because the detection is based on the formation of new covalent bonds, these spots saturate at about 50 ppb.
authors.affiliation: Schulich Department of Chemistry, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Technion City, 32000, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Carmit
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hertzog-Ronen
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Borzin
authors.forename: Yulia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gerchikov
authors.forename: Nir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tessler
authors.forename: Yoav
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Eichen
mesh_terms: D000477:Alkylating Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D000478:Alkylation; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015394:Molecular Structure
chemical_list: D000477:Alkylating Agents