A novel fluorescence sensor for ethyl acetate detection in solution and vapor phase based on addition reaction

Abstract

Efficient detection of trace ethyl acetate (EA) was important for environmental monitoring. Herein, a fluorescence sensor 2-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-ylamino)isoindoline-1,3-dione (BH) based on novel “ring opening-addition” reaction mechanism for detection EA was found, and the novel sensing mechanism was proved by FT-IR, 1H NMR, ESI-MS and HPLC. The fluorescence sensor BH exhibited specific selectivity toward EA and successfully applied in quantitatively detecting trace EA in organic solvents, including N,N-Dimethylformamide, acetonitrile, methanol, ethanol, dichloromethane and petroleum ether, making BH be a highly sensitive fluorescent sensor for EA detection with a detection limit of 0.021 % for DMF, 0.011 % for MeOH, 0.006 % for MeCN, 0.003 % for EtOH, 0.014 % for CH2Cl2 and 0.028 % for PE, respectively. Further, the sensor BH was efficiently used to detect EA in actual gasolines samples and vapor phase. The result indicated that fluorescence sensor BH could be employed as a sensitive indicator to monitor trace EA.