Highly Photostable and Luminescent Donor-Acceptor Molecules for Ultrasensitive Detection of Sulfur Mustard

Real-time, high signal intensity, and prolonged detection is challenging because of the rarity of fluorophores with both high photostability and luminescence efficiency. In this work, new donor-acceptor (D-A) molecules for overcoming these limitations are reported. A hybridized local and an intramolecular charge-transfer excited state is demonstrated to afford high photoluminescence efficiency of these D-A molecules in solution (approximate to 100%). The twisted molecular structure and bulky alkyl chains effectively suppress pi-pi and dipole-dipole interactions, enabling high luminescence efficiency of 1 and 2 in the solid state (approximate to 94% and 100%). Furthermore, two D-A aggregates exhibit high photostability as evidenced by 4% and 8% of the fluorescence decreasing after 6 h of continuous irradiation in air, which is in sharp contrast to approximate to 95% of fluorescence decreasing in a reference compound. Importantly, with these molecules, ultrasensitive detection of sulfur mustard (SM) with a record limit of 10 ppb and selective detection of SM in complex matrices are achieved.

Automated summary

This study introduces new donor-acceptor (D-A) molecules that exhibit high photoluminescence efficiency in solution and solid state. The molecules also show high photostability under continuous irradiation, making them suitable for ultrasensitive detection and selective detection of sulfur mustard (SM) in complex matrices.