Antimicrobial profile and Turn-On sensing of cyanide and water traces using a dual chromophoric Dansyl-Acridine conjugate as multifunctional system

Abstract

9-aminocridine derivatives bearing a dimethylmethanimidamide, L1, and the dyad conjugate dansyl-acridine, L2, were synthesized and their ability to be used as multifunctional materials using different polymer matrixes was investigated. L1 was found to modulate its emission in the presence of traces of water with a turn-on effect and to this end was used for the detection of water traces in organic solvents with a LOD and LOQ of 0.0028 and 0.0121 (V%) in acetonitrile, respectively. Due to the observed acidochromism for this compound and the different behaviour in acetonitrile and chloroform due to different stabilization of the excited state a turn-off and turn-on effect was observed for respective solvents. PMMA polymer doped films aided on the elucidation for this compound to be used as a sensor of strong acids. Furthermore, compound L2 was found fruitful for the detection of cyanide through an acid base anion sensing. Incorporation of these compounds in PVA:PVP polymer films and Irogran® microparticles were carried out to assess their antimicrobial profile.