Issue 42, 2016

An aggregation-induced emission star polymer with pH and metal ion responsive fluorescence

Abstract

A one-pot strategy was applied to synthesize an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) star polymer with pH and metal ion responsive fluorescence. The star polymer 1 was prepared via ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of norbornene-based monomers M1, M2, M3, and crosslinker bi-Nor. In this approach, M1 with a poly(ethylene glycol) side chain was polymerized to form poly(M1) as the hydrophilic arm of the star polymer. The mixture of M2 (with phosphonate groups), M3 (with AIE fluorogen), and bi-Nor was then added in situ to extend poly(M1) chains and form the star polymer core. Subsequently, the functional star polymer 2 with phosphonic acid groups was derived by hydrolyzing the phosphonate groups in the core of star polymer 1, which demonstrated strong fluorescence when pH < 4 and weak fluorescence when pH > 5 in water. In addition, by virtue of the coordination of phosphonic acid groups with various metal ions, the aqueous solution of star polymer 2 (pH = 7 and 11) emitted significantly enhanced fluorescence in the presence of Mg2+, Ca2+, Cd2+, Ni2+, In3+, Zn2+, etc. The fluorescence intensity of the aqueous solution linearly increased with increasing concentration of metal ions in a wide range.

Graphical abstract: An aggregation-induced emission star polymer with pH and metal ion responsive fluorescence

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
25 Aug 2016
Accepted
04 Oct 2016
First published
04 Oct 2016

Polym. Chem., 2016,7, 6513-6520

An aggregation-induced emission star polymer with pH and metal ion responsive fluorescence

Y. Zhao, W. Zhu, Y. Wu, L. Qu, Z. Liu and K. Zhang, Polym. Chem., 2016, 7, 6513 DOI: 10.1039/C6PY01488G

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