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Updated: Apr 26, 2026

Qualitative Identification of Carboxylic Acids, Boronic Acids, and Amines Using Cruciform Fluorophores
Published on: August 19, 2013
Complex-formation-enhanced fluorescence quenching effect for efficient detection of picric acid
Aixiang Ding1, Longmei Yang, Yuyang Zhang
1Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Materials of Anhui Province, Anhui University, Hefei 230039 (P.R. China), Fax: (+86) 551-63861279.
Abstract:
Amine-functionalized α-cyanostilbene derivatives (Z)-2-(4-aminophenyl)-3-(4-butoxyphenyl)acrylonitrile (ABA) and (Z)-3-(4-butoxyphenyl)-2-[4-(butylamino)phenyl]acrylonitrile (BBA) were designed for specific recognition of picric acid (PA), an environmental and biological pollutant. The 1:1 host-guest complexes formed between the chemosensors and PA enhanced fluorescence quenching, thus leading to sensitive and selective detection in aqueous media and the solid phase.

