Conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) are an important class of materials that have been developed for a variety of applications including chemical/bio-sensing. A poly(phenylene ethynylene) (PPE) type cationic water soluble CPE was synthesized and its biological important phosphate sensing properties where investigated. The organic soluble precursor of the CPE was synthesized via AABB-type step growth polymerization. This CPE is substituted with cationic groups consisting of polyammonium units in a linear chain. This CPE displays photophysical properties similar to the previously reported PPE type CPEs and exhibit amplified fluorescence quenching property in the presence of various diphosphates. The amplified fluorescence quenching of CPE observed in the presence of diphosphates is due to the aggregate of the polymers as a result of electrostatic interactions between dianions and the cationic CPEs. Addition of monophosphates did not quench the CPE fluorescence.

Synthesis, photophysics and fluorescence phosphate sensing by a poly(phenylene ethynylene)-type cationic conjugated polyelectrolyte

256th National Meeting (2018)

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