Nitroaromatic sensing with a new lanthanide coordination polymer [Er2(C10H4O4S2)3(H2O)6]n assembled by 2,2′-bithiophene-5,5′-dicarboxylate

Abstract

A new three dimensional lanthanide-containing coordination polymer composed of 2,2′-bithiophene-5,5′-dicarboxylic acid ([Er₂(C₁₀H₄O₄S₂)₃(H₂O)₆]_n) was solvothermally synthesized and characterized using single crystal X-ray diffraction, PXRD, FTIR, TGA, and luminescence measurements. The emission of this compound dispersed in ethanol is linker based and is quenched upon addition of nitroaromatic species due to a charge transfer from the MOF to the nitroaromatic species. This compound is able to sense a variety of nitroaromatic species, but is particularly sensitive to nitrophenols and nitroaniline.