Recent Advances in Phthalocyanine and Porphyrin-Based Materials as Active Layers for Nitric Oxide Chemical Sensors

Porphyrin Metal-organic Framework Sensors for Chemical and Biological Sensing

Porphyrins and porphyrin derivatives have been intensively explored for a number of applications such as sensing, catalysis, adsorption, and photocatalysis due to their outstanding photophysical properties. Their usage in sensing applications, however, is limited by intrinsic defects such as physiological instability and self-quenching. To reduce self-quenching susceptibility, researchers have developed porphyrin metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a unique type of hybrid porous coordination polymers comprised of metal ions linked by organic linkers, are gaining popularity. Porphyrin molecules can be integrated into MOFs or employed as organic linkers in the production of MOFs. Porphyrin-based MOFs are a separate branch of the huge MOF family that combines the distinguishing qualities of porphyrins (e.g., fluorescent nature) and MOFs (e.g., high surface area, high porosity) to enable sensing applications with higher sensitivity, specificity, and extended target range. The key synthesis techniques for porphyrin-based MOFs, such as porphyrin@MOFs, porphyrinic MOFs, and composite porphyrinic MOFs, are outlined in this review article. This review article focuses on current advances and breakthroughs in the field of porphyrin-based MOFs for detecting a variety of targets (for example, metal ions, anions, explosives, biomolecules, pH, and toxins). Finally, the issues and potential future uses of this class of emerging materials for sensing applications are reviewed.

The control of nitric oxide dynamics and interaction with substituted zinc-phthalocyanines

Phthalocyanines are artificial macrocycles that can harbour a central metal atom with four symmetric coordinations. Similar to metal-porphyrins, metal-phthalocyanines (M-PCs) may bind small molecules, especially diatomic gases such as NO and O2. Furthermore, various chemical chains can be grafted at the periphery of the M-PC macrocycle, which can change its properties, including the interaction with diatomic gases. In this study, we synthesized Zn-PCs with two different substituents and investigated their effects on the interaction and dynamics of nitric oxide (NO). Time-resolved absorption spectroscopy from picosecond to millisecond revealed that NO dynamics dramatically depends on the nature of the groups grafted to the Zn-PC macrocycle. These experimental results were rationalized by DFT calculations, which demonstrate that electrostatic interactions between NO and the quinoleinoxy substituent modify the potential energy surface and decrease the energy barrier for NO recombination, thus controlling its affinity.

Phthalocyanines prepared from 4,5-dihexylthiophthalonitrile, a popular building block

Phthalocyanines are tetrapyrrolic artificial porphyrinoids that play major roles in advanced biological and technological applications. Research on this family of dyes is particularly active in Türkiye, with many derivatives being prepared from 4,5-dihexylthiophthalonitrile DiSHexPN, which is one of the most popular noncommercially available building blocks for phthalocyanines. This review summarizes the phthalocyanines and their versatile properties and applications that have been published since 1994, when the synthesis of DiSHexPN was first described, to emphasize the importance of this building block in plentiful applications, all with biomedical or technological impact.

Cobalt and Iron Phthalocyanine Derivatives: Effect of Substituents on the Structure of Thin Films and Their Sensor Response to Nitric Oxide

In this work, we study the effect of substituents in cobalt(II) and iron(II) phthalocyanines (CoPcR₄ and FePcR₄ with R = H, F, Cl, tBu) on the structural features of their films, and their chemi-resistive sensor response to a low concentration of nitric oxide. For the correct interpretation of diffractograms of phthalocyanine films, structures of CoPcCl₄ and FePcCl₄ single crystals were determined for the first time. Films were tested as active layers for the determination of low concentrations of NO (10-1000 ppb). It was found that the best sensor response to NO was observed for the films of chlorinated derivatives MPcCl₄ (M = Co, Fe), while the lowest response was in the case of MPc(tBu)₄ films. FePcCl₄ films exhibited the maximal response to NO, with a calculated limit of detection (LOD) of 3 ppb; the response and recovery times determined at 30 ppb of NO were 30 s and 80 s, respectively. The LOD of a CoPcCl₄ film was 7 ppb. However, iron phthalocyanine films had low stability and their sensitivity to NO decreased rapidly over time, while the response of cobalt phthalocyanine films remained stable for at least several months. In order to explain the obtained regularities, quantum chemical calculations of the binding parameters between NO and phthalocyanine molecules were carried out. It was shown that the binding of NO to the side atoms of phthalocyanines occurred through van der Waals forces, and the values of the binding energies were in direct correlation with the values of the sensor response to NO.

Targeting biomarkers in the gas phase through a chemoresistive electronic nose based on graphene functionalized with metal phthalocyanines

Electronic noses (e-noses) have received considerable interest in the past decade as they can match the emerging needs of modern society such as environmental monitoring, health screening, and food quality tracking. For practical applications of e-noses, it is necessary to collect large amounts of data from an array of sensing devices that can detect interactions with molecules reliably and analyze them via pattern recognition. The use of graphene (Gr)-based arrays of chemiresistors in e-noses is still virtually missing, though recent reports on Gr-based chemiresistors have disclosed high sensing performances upon functionalization of the pristine layer, opening up the possibility of being implemented into e-noses. In this work, with the aim of creating a robust and chemically stable interface that combines the chemical properties of metal phthalocyanines (M-Pc, M = Fe, Co, Ni, Zn) with the superior transport properties of Gr, an array of Gr-based chemiresistor sensors functionalized with drop-cast M-Pc thin layers has been developed. The sensing capability of the array was tested towards biomarkers for breathomics application, with a focus on ammonia (NH₃). Exposure to NH₃ has been carried out drawing the calibration curve and estimating the detection limit for all the sensors. The discrimination capability of the array has then been tested, carrying out exposure to several gases (hydrogen sulfide, acetone, ethanol, 2-propanol, water vapour and benzene) and analysing the data through principal component analysis (PCA). The PCA pattern recognition results show that the developed e-nose is able to discriminate all the tested gases through the synergic contribution of all sensors.

Gold Nanoclusters Dispersed on Gold Dendrite-Based Carbon Fibre Microelectrodes for the Sensitive Detection of Nitric Oxide in Human Serum

Herein, gold nanoclusters (Au NC) dispersed on gold dendrite (Au DS)-based flexible carbon fibre (AuNC@AuDS|CF) microelectrodes are developed using a one-step electrochemical approach. The as-fabricated AuNC@AuDS|CF microelectrodes work as the prospective electrode materials for the sensitive detection of nitric oxide (NO) in a 0.1 M phosphate buffer (PB) solution. Carbon microfibre acts as an efficient matrix for the direct growth of AuNC@AuDS without any binder/extra reductant. The AuNC@AuDS|CF microelectrodes exhibit outstanding electrocatalytic activity towards NO oxidation, which is ascribed to their large electrochemical active surface area (ECSA), high electrical conductivity, and high dispersion of Au nanoclusters. As a result, the AuNC@AuDS|CF microelectrodes attain a rapid response time (3 s), a low limit of detection (LOD) (0.11 nM), high sensitivity (66.32 µA µM cm^-2), a wide linear range (2 nM-7.7 µM), long-term stability, good reproducibility, and a strong anti-interference capability. Moreover, the present microsensor successfully tested for the discriminating detection of NO in real human serum samples, revealing its potential practicability.

One A3B Porphyrin Structure—Three Successful Applications

Porphyrins are versatile structures capable of acting in multiple ways. A mixed substituted A₃B porphyrin, 5-(3-hydroxy-phenyl)-10,15,20-tris-(3-methoxy-phenyl)-porphyrin and its Pt(II) complex, were synthesised and fully characterised by ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR, TLC, UV-Vis, FT-IR, fluorescence, AFM, TEM and SEM with EDX microscopy, both in organic solvents and in acidic mediums. The pure compounds were used, firstly, as sensitive materials for sensitive and selective optical and fluorescence detection of hydroquinone with the best results in the range 0.039–6.71 µM and a detection limit of 0.013 µM and, secondly, as corrosion inhibitors for carbon–steel (OL) in an acid medium giving a best performance of 88% in the case of coverings with Pt-porphyrin. Finally, the electrocatalytic activity for the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions (HER and OER) of the free-base and Pt-metalated A₃B porphyrins was evaluated in strong alkaline and acidic electrolyte solutions. The best results were obtained for the electrode modified with the metalated porphyrin, drop-casted on a graphite substrate from an N,N-dimethylformamide solution. In the strong acidic medium, the electrode displayed an HER overpotential of 108 mV, at i = −10 mA/cm² and a Tafel slope value of 205 mV/dec.