Fluorescent aggregates of hetero-oligophenylene derivative as no quenching probe for detection of picric acid at femtogram level

Fluorescent aggregates of hetero-oligophenylene derivative 3 serve as a no quenching probe for the detection of picric acid (PA) in aqueous media. Photo-induced intermolecular excited-state proton transfer from PA to pyridyl nitrogen results in the formation of protonated species, which exhibit emission at a different wavelength; hence, there is no quenchingdetection of PA in aqueous media.