Potential analytical applications of differential fluorescence quenching: pyrene monomer and excimer emissions as sensors for electron deficient molecules

Quenching of the monomer and excimer emissions from pyrene allows excellent discrimination in the detection of electron-deficient molecules; this characteristic could be used to detect explosives and for rapid screening of complex samples suspected of containing explosives. The method responds to electron deficient molecules other than nitro compounds (e.g, 1,4-dicyanobenzene), giving some false positives; in this case, however, the method is unlikely to lead to false negatives, a desirable characteristic in security-related applications.