Fluorescence Detection of Metals and Nitro Aromatic Compounds Based on Tetrastyrene Derivatives

Three luminescent derivatives were synthesized based on improving the synthetic method, including 1,1,2,2-tetrakis(4-bromophenyl)ethylene (1), 4,4 ',4 '',4 '''-(ethylene-1,1,2,2-tetrayl)tetrabenzoic acid (2), and 4 ',4 ''',4 ''''',4 '''''''-(ethylene-1,1,2,2-tetrayl)tetrakis([1,1 '-biphenyl]-4-carboxylic acid) (3). They were characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectra, and H-1 NMR. Moreover, the specific structure of the compound 1 is determined by single crystal diffraction. We detected the fluorescence responses of the compounds 2 and 3 in different metal ion and nitro compound solutions. It was found that the fluorescence effects of the compounds 2 and 3 for Fe3+ and trinitro phenol (TNP) were so strongest that the fluorescence intensity of the compounds being completely annihilated. In addition, we also studied the fluorescence lifetime and the quantum yield of the compounds 2 and 3, and explained the fluorescence quenching mechanism.