Poly{tris[4-(2-Thienyl)phenyl]amine} fluorescent conjugated microporous polymer for selectively sensing picric acid

Two thiophene-based and carbazole-based conjugated microporous polymers (PTPATTh and PTPATCz) with triphenylamine core structural monomers were synthesized via straight forward anhydrous ferric chloride oxidative coupling polymerization. We first explored the fluorescent sensing performance of thienyl CMPs for picric acid (PA) and investigated comparatively the porosity and fluorescence sensing property for PA/p-nitrophenol (NP). Thanks to the propeller-like structure, high porosity, extended π-conjugation and electron-rich characteristics, the both CMPs exhibited strong fluorescent emission properties and worked as fluorescent chemosensors toward electron-deficient nitroaromatic analytes. The suspension of PTPATTh and PTPATCz given rise to the high luminescence, and showed a white and yellow emission in both THF and DOX excited under 365 nm using a UV lamp, respectively. Though BET surface area values and response speed of PTPATTh (594 m 2  g −1 ) are lower than that of PTPATCz (894 m 2  g −1 ), PTPATTh display higher selectivity for tracing PA than PTPATCz in DOX and THF. In short, the PTPATTh may be a new kind of material for detecting PA.