Metal-containing conjugated polymers as fluorescent chemosensors in the detection of toxicants

Abstract

Fluorescent conjugated polymers have received a great deal of recent interest due to their ability to act as chemosensors to detect various chemical species in both environmental and biological systems with sensitivity and selectivity. Examples from the literature include polymer chemosensors that operate on either fluorescence “turn-on” or “turn-off” as mechanisms of sensor response. These responses can be related to either photoinduced electron transfer or electronic energy transfer mechanisms. Recently, a series of metal-containing polymers or metallopolymers have been explored by various research groups for their use as chemosensors. In many cases, these metallopolymers have been shown to be more sensitive and selective for specific chemical species. This review focuses on fluorescent conjugated polymers as chemosensors, with a specific concentration on recent advances in metallopolymer chemosensors.