Anthracene-based lanthanide coordination polymer for the sensitive detection of 2-thiazolidinethione-4-carboxylic acid and temperature

An anthracene-based rare earth coordination polymer (CP) [Tb2Cl2(adip)(NMP)3(H2O)] (1) was prepared by solvothermal assembling of Tb3+ and 5,5 '-(anthracene-9,10-diyl)diisophthalic acid (H4adip, NMP = N-methyl-pyrrolidone) and possesses a 3D framework and ligand-based blue emission. 1 could be used as a fluorescent probe to detect 2-thiazolidinethione-4-carboxylic acid (TTCA) and temperature with excellent selectivity, sensitivity and anti-interference ability. Between 0 and 10 mu M concentration range of TTCA, the fluorescence quenching constant (Ksv) of 1 reaches 9.78 x 104 M-1 with the limit of detection of 92.6 nM. 1 could also be used as a temperature sensor within 0-60 degrees C. The maximum relative sensitivity (Sr) was calculated as 5.74% degrees C- 1 at 60 degrees C and the temperature resolution (delta T) is 0.013-0.003 degrees C corresponding to the above ambient temperature range. The sensitivities of 1 have reached the best level of reported chemical sensors so far. In addition, the mechanisms of fluorescence quenching were studied.