Dual-emission Tb-based coordination polymer as a ratiometric fluorescence probe for the detection of phosphate

• Published in: Mikrochimica acta (1966) 2024-06, Vol.191 (6), p.317-317, Article 317
• Main Authors: Luo, Zilan, Hu, Congyi, Dai, Wenjie, Chen, Gaoxu, Zhan, Lei, Huang, Chengzhi, Li, Yuanfang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Benzene; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Coordination polymers; Electron transfer; Emission; Energy transfer; Ethanol; Fluorescent indicators; Ligands; Microengineering; Nanochemistry; Nanotechnology; Original Paper
• ISSN: 0026-3672; 1436-5073
• DOI: 10.1007/s00604-024-06408-y

A simple, sensitive dual-emission probe was developed for the detection of phosphate (Pi). The probe Tb-BTB/DPA was synthesized by mixing dual-ligand, 1,3,5-tri(4-carboxyphenyl) benzene (H 3 BTB) and dipicolinic acid (DPA), with metal ions Tb 3+ in ethanol–water solution at 40℃ for 2 h. Tb-BTB/DPA exhibits two emission peaks, the emission at 362 nm is attributed to H 3 BTB, an energy transfer between Tb 3+ nodes, and DPA further enhances the fluorescence of Tb 3+ at 544 nm. Pi competes with ligand H 3 BTB to coordinate Tb 3+ , resulting in partial collapse of the Tb-BTB/DPA structure and interrupting the electron transfer between H 3 BTB and Tb 3+ . Therefore, the emission at 362 nm is enhanced, while the emission at 544 nm is unchanged, and a ratiometric fluorescence method is developed to detect Pi. Tb-BTB/DPA exhibits good linearity within the Pi concentration range (0.1–50 µmol/L), and the detection limit was 25.8 nmol/L. This study provides a new way to prepare probes with dual emission sensing properties. Graphical Abstract