Synthesis of N-Heterocyclic Molecules and their Applicability Towards Ion Sensing: Polymeric Chemosensors

Critical to biological and environmental processes are anions because often times their relative concentration in our body can be an indicator of one’s well-being. Therefore, highly sensitive and cost-efficient methods for ions recognition is necessary for human health. In recent times, polymeric chemosensors have become a vital tool for sensing ions because of its higher sensitivity and good mechanical properties compared to their monomeric counterparts. These sensors are designed to produce a measurable response in the presence of a targeted ion such as an electrochemical or optical signal. The unique structure and the photophysical properties of the 1,2,3-triazole core coupled with its easy synthesis makes it an excellent target for sensing ions and as such they have found wide applications in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. They are used as linkers/sensors where they are easily associated with biological targets through dipole interactions, hydrogen bonding and as pharmacophore. These heterocycles can also be tuned for specific colorimetric or fluorescence changes by making modifications to their core structures; for example, varying the different functional groups and substituents on the triazole unit. This study focuses on the synthesis and analytical investigations of novel 1,2,3-triazole based polymeric sensors tuned for flourimetric and colorimetric changes with specific analytes. Our current studies also includes a polymeric sensor, able to detect anions. The sensors are synthesized by the copper (I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC), a “click” reaction and free radical polymerization process. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis), Fluorescence Spectroscopy are used to investigate the selectivity and specificity of the sensors with their respective analytes