S,N-Heteroacene-Based Conjugated Microporous Polymers as Fluorescent Sensors and Effective Antimicrobial Carriers

The synthetic control over pore structure and multifunctionality remain highly desirable for conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs). Here, we demonstrate that the 1,10-phenanthroline-like S,N-heteroacenes are ideal building blocks to construct a new kind of CMPs by Sonogashira polymerization. The enlarged conjugation and rigidity of the repeating units played a vital role in the formation of permanent micropores with large specific surface areas. The versatility of these CMPs for applications as fluorescent sensors and highly efficient antimicrobial carriers was explored. These fluorescent and electron-rich conjugated frameworks exhibit an optical sensing performance toward nitroaromatic explosives with a good selectivity and sensitivity. Moreover, for the first time, CMPs were used as heterogeneous antimicrobial carriers. The high microporosity, as well as the heterogeneous features of these CMPs, with specific interaction sites with silver, allows them efficient loading of silver nanoparticles with a well controlled size for effective antimicrobial activity.