Synthesis and photophysical properties of polyfluorene with dipicolylamine groups on the side chain: highly selective and sensitive detection of histidine.
Two new polyfluorenes with dipicolylamine (DPA) pendant, PF-TDPA and PF-HDPA, are designed and synthesized by pre- and post-functionalization, respectively. PF-TDPA with a rigid side chain shows a selective fluorescence quenching upon the addition of Cu(2+)  in a mixture solution of tetrahydrofuran and 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) buffer. What is more, the PF-TDPA/Cu(2+)  complex can selectively detect histidine over other amino acids with a fluorescence recovery. In contrast, PF-HDPA with a flexible spacer exhibits a fluorescence quenching to Cu(2+)  but slightly fluorescence recovery after the addition of histidine. This indicates that the proper distance between the two DPA groups play an important role in the detection of histidine.
Department of Chemistry, Hubei Key Lab on Organic and Polymeric Optoelectronic Materials, Wuhan University, Wuhan, P. R. China.
Wenjun
W
Zhang
Jingui
J
Qin
Chuluo
C
Yang
D000588:Amines / Q000737:chemistry*; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D006639:Histidine / Q000032:analysis*; D010848:Picolinic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
C501847:2,2'-dipicolylamine; D000588:Amines; D005449:Fluorenes; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D010848:Picolinic Acids; D011108:Polymers; C041509:fluorene; D006639:Histidine; D003300:Copper