Selective sensors for Zn2+ cations based on new green fluorescent poly(amidoamine) dendrimers peripherally modified with 1,8-naphthalimides

New Water-Soluble Poly(propylene imine) Dendrimer Modified with 4-Sulfo-1,8-naphthalimide Units: Sensing Properties and Logic Gates Mimicking

A new water-soluble poly(propylene imine) dendrimer (PPI) modified with 4-sulfo-1,8-naphthalimid units (SNID) and its related structure monomer analog (SNIM) has been prepared by a simple synthesis. The aqueous solution of the monomer exhibited aggregation-induced emission (AIE) at 395 nm, while the dendrimer emitted at 470 nm due to an excimer formation beside the AIE at 395 nm. Fluorescence emission of the aqueous solution of either SNIM or SNID was significantly affected by traces of different miscible organic solvents, and the limits of detection were found to be less than 0.05% (v/v). Moreover, SNID exhibited the function to execute molecular size-based logic gates where it mimics XNOR and INHIBIT logic gates using water and ethanol as inputs and the AIE/excimer emissions as outputs. Hence, the concomitant execution of both XNOR and INHIBIT enables SNID to mimic digital comparators.

Self-Associated 1,8-Naphthalimide as a Selective Fluorescent Chemosensor for Detection of High pH in Aqueous Solutions and Their Hg2+ Contamination

A novel diamino triazine based 1,8-naphthalimide (NI-DAT) has been designed and synthesized. Its photophysical properties have been investigated in different solvents and its sensory capability evaluated. The fluorescence emission of NI-DAT is significantly impacted by the solvent polarity due to its inherent intramolecular charge transfer character. Moreover, the fluorescence emission quenched at higher pH as a result of photo-induced electron transfer (PET) from triazine moiety to 1,8-naphthalimide after cleaving hydrogen bonds in the self-associated dimers. Furthermore, the new chemosensor exhibited a good selectivity and sensitivity towards Hg²⁺ among all the used various cations and anions in the aqueous solution of ethanol (5:1, v/v, pH = 7.2, Tampon buffer). NI-DAT emission at 540 nm was quenched remarkably only by Hg²⁺, even in the presence of other cations or anions as interfering analytes. Job's plot revealed a 2:1 stoichiometric ratio for NI-DAT/Hg²⁺ complex, respectively.

A Urease-Containing Fluorescent Hydrogel for Transient Information Storage

The improper handling of decrypted information can lead to the leakage of confidential data. Thus, there is increasing interest in the development of self-erasing decrypted data. Herein, we report a urease-containing fluorescent hydrogel for multistage information security protection. Information can be input into the fluorescent hydrogel, which is based on the protonated 4-(N,N-dimethylaminoethylene) amino-N-allyl-1,8-naphthalimide (DEAN-H⁺ ) and doped with urease, using metal ions, such as Zn²⁺ that coordinate with DEAN. Upon exposure to urea, urease produces NH₃ , which reduces the fluorescence of the hydrogel. In the presence of urea, metal-coordinated hydrogel fluorescence decreases more slowly than the fluorescence of the hydrogel alone, revealing the information. The displayed information is then automatically erased within a few minutes. This work opens up a new insights in designing and fabricating information storage materials.

Application of PAMAM dendrimers in optical sensing

In this review, recent advances have been reported in those PAMAM dendrimer-based optical sensors that are used for the detection of pH, cations, and other analyte.

Sensor activity and logic behaviour of PET based dihydroimidazonaphthalimide diester

An ester terminated dihydroimidazonaphthalimide as multi-functional logic device is presented. Due to the optical changes as a function of pH this simple molecule is able to act as a molecular pH metre, a digital comparator and a half-adder. It was demonstrated that the dihydroimidazonaphthalimide comparator could be used as a fundamental element of an optical device for control of pH windows. Also, the ability of the device to detect metal ions in DMF and in water/DMF (3:1, v/v) at different pHs has been evaluated by monitoring the changes of its fluorescence intensity. Among the tested metal ions (Cd(2+), Co(2+), Cu(2+), Fe(3+), Ni(2+), Pb(2+), Zn(2+), Bi(3+), Hg(2+) and Ag(+)) only Fe(3+) and Bi(3+) were efficiently detected. In water/DMF (3:1, v/v) XOR and XNOR logic gates are presented using pH and Fe(3+) as chemical inputs based on encoding binary digits of logical conventions.

Spectral investigation of coordination of cuprum cations and protons at PAMAM dendrimer peripherally modified with 1,8-naphthalimide units

The investigations aim at revealing the ability of a 1,8-napthalimide-modified poly(amidoamine) dendrimer from second generation to respond to the presence of cuprum cations and protons in the environment. It has been established that a single Cu(2+) cation present in the dendrimer molecule is capable of quenching more than 78% of its fluorescence what is an indication of high sensitiveness. An enhancement of the fluorescence emission of the dendrimer has been observed in acidic medium. It has been established that the processes of coordinating the ions in different sites of the dendrimer are reversible.