Fluoroclathrands - a new type of chemical sensor materials for optical vapour detection

Crystalline inclusion hosts, such as the bulky anthracene 1, having ethynylborneol groups in 9,10-positions enclathrate organic solvent vapours, e.g. ethanol and 2-propanol to form stoichiometric host-guest complexes. The spectroscopic data in solution of host compounds 1 and 2 are determined. By changing the solvent, compound 2, unlike 1, shows a fluorescence quenching in the presence of amines. First results of the guest dependent fluorescence of the 1.clathrate crystals with ethanol and 2-propanol are shown. Using host compound 1 as unsolvated species, the absorption and desorption of various solvent saturated nitrogen-gases were on-line monitored by fluorescence measurements. Moreover, host compound 1 when embedded into a hydrogel polymer matrix yielded reversible fluorescence signals for different solvent vapours with a. short response time. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.