Azobenzene–Hemicyanine Conjugated Polymeric Chemosensor for the Rapid and Selective Detection of Cyanide in Pure Aqueous Media

Abstract

A water-soluble polymeric probe was designed and synthesized that can be used for the colorimetric selective detection of cyanide ions in pure aqueous media. In particular, P1, a water-soluble random terpolymer (P1) of N,N′-dimethylacrylamide, 2-((E)-4-((E)-(4-((2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl)(methyl)amino)phenyl)diazenyl)styryl)-1,3,3-trimethyl-3H-indol-1-ium (M1), and N-(4-benzoylphenyl)acrylamide was synthesized via traditional free-radical polymerization. Upon the addition of CN− ions to a P1 solution, a macroscopically detectable color change of the solution from brick red to light yellow took place, which was associated with a low limit of analyte detection (1.23 μM). Notably, P1 exhibited excellent selectivity toward CN− over other anions and biothiols, which may be present in the medium. Such highly selective colorimetric response to CN− by P1 originated from the nucleophilic attack of CN− anions onto the electron-deficient polarized CN bonds of P1's indolium moieties, resulting in the perturbation of the intramolecular charge transfer process occurring within the probe via destruction of the polymer's extended π-conjugation. P1 was also immobilized on a quartz slide by spin coating and then exposed to ultraviolet light. The resulting polymeric film displayed a rapid response to CN− consisting in a distinct color change, extending the scope of the usefulness of P1 as a cyanide-ion probe beyond the solution phase. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. 2020, 58, 124–131