Alexis Depauw

New fluorescent molecular sensors based on a calix[4]arene biscrown-6 ether as coordination site and BODIPY derivative as signaling unit were synthesized and their photophysical properties were characterized. The complexation properties of these sensors with potassium and cesium cations were investigated using both steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence methods. The studies show that the sensitivity with cations depends upon the position of substituted coordination site on the BODIPY core. The complexation with cations does not have much effect on the absorption and emission wavelength when the coordination site (calix[4]arene biscrown-6 ether) is introduced at the meso position of the BODIPY core. In contrast, the same calix[4]arene biscrown-6 ether attached via a styryl linker to the α-position of BODIPY core leads to a sensitive sensor for alkali cations thanks to the better conjugation between the coordination site and the BODIPY core. The complexation of cations induces a ...

Aggregation-induced emission and aggregation-induced emission enhancement have attracted much attention due to their great potential in real-world applications. Up to now most of the reports are based on the restriction of free rotation of the luminogens in the aggregates. In the present work, we found that the dansyl fluorophore with typical intramolecular charge transfer characteristic also exhibited aggregation-induced emission enhancement, which was based on the change of micro-environmental polarity of the fluorophore. In the light of the phenomenon, a new water-soluble ligand bearing a tetrasulfonated calix[4]arene was constructed for ratiometric detection of Al(3+) based on an aggregation-induced emission enhancement mechanism. It displayed a distinct selectivity to Al(3+) among the tested cations in lutidine buffer solution (pH 6-7) with a detection limit of 1.8 μM. A reversible response was also demonstrated by the addition of EDTA or F(-).