Corrole and Corrole Functionalized Silica Nanoparticles as New Metal Ion Chemosensors: A Case of Silver Satellite Nanoparticles Formation

• Published in: Inorganic chemistry 2013-08, Vol.52 (15), p.8564-8572
• Main Authors: Santos, Carla I. M, Oliveira, Elisabete, Fernández-Lodeiro, Javier, Barata, Joana F. B, Santos, Sérgio M, Faustino, M. Amparo F, Cavaleiro, José A. S, Neves, M. Graça P. M. S, Lodeiro, Carlos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemistry Techniques, Analytical - instrumentation; Copper - analysis; Copper - chemistry; Mercury - analysis; Mercury - chemistry; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Porphyrins - chemistry; Silicon Dioxide - chemistry; Silver - analysis; Silver - chemistry; Spectrophotometry
• ISSN: 0020-1669; 1520-510X
• DOI: 10.1021/ic4006295

Corrole macrocycles are very appealing dyes for incorporation into light harvesting devices. This work shows the sensorial ability of 5,10,15-tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrole 1 and its monoanionic species toward Na+, Ca2+, Cu2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, Hg2+, Ag+, and Al3+ metal ions in toluene and acetonitrile. The photophysical studies toward metal ions were carried out by absorption and emission spectroscopy. From all metal ions studied, corrole 1 shows to be colorimetric for Hg2+ allowing a naked-eye detection of Hg2+ through a change of color from purple to blue in acetonitrile and from green to yellow in toluene. In addition a new β-imine corrole 4 was successful synthesized and further functionalized with 3-isocyanatopropyl-trimethoxysilane resulting in an alkoxysilane derivative 5. The grafting of alkoxysilane derivative 5 with optically transparent silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) was achieved succesfully. The new-coated silica nanoparticles with corrole 5 were studied in the presence of Cu2+, Hg2+, and Ag+ as metal ion probes. Interestingly, upon addition of Ag+, groups of satellite AgNPs were formed around the SiNPs and were checked by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). At same time, a change of color from green to yellow was observed.