Fluorescent turn-off based sensing of nitrated explosives using porphyrins and their Zn(ii)-derivatives

Abstract

A series of porphyrins and their corresponding Zn(ii)-derivatives possessing both electron donating and electron withdrawing substituents at their periphery, have been investigated for the detection of nitrated explosives, which includes nitroaromatics, plastic explosive taggant (DMNB) and explosive nitramines (RDX and HMX), using a fluorescence turn-off mechanism. Among them, β-octamethoxyporphyrin displays the maximum response towards TNT with a KSV of 324 M-1. © 2012 The Royal Society of Chemistry.