Bola-type PAH-based fluorophores/chemosensors: Synthesis via an unusual clemmensen reduction and photophysical studies

Abstract Bola-type organic scaffolds are of key importance for application in a wide variety of fields. In this manuscript we wish to report our results on construction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH, PAH = 9-antracenyl, 1-pyrenyl)-based bola-type fluorophores/chemosensors via an unusual Clemmensen reduction of the corresponding penta-1,4-dien-3-ones. In aqueous solutions the thus obtained bola-type molecules demonstrate intensive excimer emission at 500 nm, as well as well-pronounced “turn-off” fluorescence response towards common nitro-explosive components, such as 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), as well as, hard-to-detect pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN).