Two highly selective and sensitive fluorescent imidazole derivatives design and application for 2,4,6-trinitrophenol detection

In this paper, two nanoparticle fluorescence sensors L1 and L2 were designed and synthesized for the detection of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) in water. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to assist in designing sensors and explaining the detection mechanism. A further illustration of the fluorescence quenching mechanism was also studied by H-1 NMR titration and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. The Job's plot demonstrates the combined stoichiometry of the sensor and TNP. Both sensors show low detection limit apparently (0.17 and 0.49 mu M), fast and highly selective fluorescence response to TNP compared to other nitro-compounds. Moreover, L1 and L2 were successfully applied for the determination of TNP in real water samples.