A Water Stable Luminescent Zn-Complex Sensor for Detection of PO43- Ion, Fe3+ Ion, and Nitroaromatic Explosives

A luminescent Zn-complex based on the 3-(2,4-dicarboxylphenyl)-6-carboxylpyridine (H(3)dpcp), namely [Zn(H(2)dpcp)(2)(H2O)(2)]center dot H2O (1), was successfully fabricated by the solvothermal process. Complex 1 features a mononuclear butterfly-like structure, which further extends to the 3D supramolecular architecture via pi center dot center dot center dot pi interactions. It is found that complex 1 exhibited excellent luminescent stability in a pH range of 1-10 in an aqueous solution. It should be noted that complex 1 can not only detect PO43- ion based on the turn-on effect with high selectivity and recyclability but also serve as a remarkably selective sensing material with the fluorescence quenching for Fe3+ ion. The examination of nitroaromatic compounds demonstrated that complex 1 also behaved as a functional probe with high selectivity, sensitivity, and the low detection limit of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP). Furthermore, the luminescent sensing mechanisms for the above analytes were also investigated in detail. CCDC: 2010615.