Highly sensitive iridium(III) complex-based phosphorescent probe for thiophenol detection

A cyclometalated iridium(III) complex (Ir-DNBS) was designed and synthesized as a high-performance phosphorescent thiophenol probe. Ir-DNBS displays a distinct phosphorescence "off-on" response toward thiophenol with high selectivity, high sensitivity (detection limit: 2.5 nM) and fast response (10 min). It is noteworthy that the signaling phosphore of Ir-DNBS possesses relatively high photoluminescence quantum efficiency (Phi(PL) = 0.21) together with relatively long lifetime (tau = 2.07 mu s), indicative of its potential in achieving high temporal resolution. Ir-DNBS is also applicable to the detection of thiophenol in actual water samples with high recovery rate. Photophysical and spectral characterization results revealed that the probing mechanism of Ir-DNBS toward thiophenol lies in the thiolate-mediated cleavage reaction, resulting in suppressed photo-induced excited state electron transfer process in the reaction product.