The synthesis and characterization of a new family of catechol derivatives designed to behave as fluorescent chemosensors for wide-range pH detection has been described. These compounds were prepared by covalently coupling a catechol unit with other aromatic rings, thus obtaining pi-delocalized systems with both pH-responsive groups and fluorescent behavior. In the case of a pyridine-catechol derivative, this leads to up to three different protonation states with distinct optical properties in organic media, as corroborated by density functional theory calculations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this letter, we report on the development of a surface molecular sensor for the detection of acidity. Lithographically controlled wetting deposition has been applied to form the nanostructure of a new fluorescent compound with three protonation states featuring different optical properties on a glass substrate. Atomic force microscopy demonstrates the functionalization of the surface with ordered arrays of the sensor molecules.
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