Near-IR Luminescent YbIII Coordination Polymers Composed of Pyrene Derivatives for Thermostable Oxygen Sensors.

Oxygen-sensitive and near-infrared (NIR) luminescent YbIII coordination polymers incorporating ligands based on pyrene derivatives were synthesized: YbIII -TBAPy and YbIII -TIAPy (TBAPy: 1,3,6,8-tetrakis(p-benzoate)pyrene; TIAPy: 1,3,6,8-tetrakis(3,5-isophthalic acid)pyrene). The coordination structures of these materials have been characterized by means of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, X-ray diffraction analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis. Moreover, the porous structure of YbIII -TIAPy has been evaluated by measuring its N2 adsorption isotherm. The NIR luminescence properties of YbIII -TBAPy and YbIII -TIAPy have been examined by acquiring emission spectra and determining emission lifetimes under air or argon and in vacuo. YbIII -TIAPy exhibited high thermal stability (with a decomposition temperature of 400 °C), intense luminescence (with an emission quantum yield under argon of 6.6 %), and effective oxygen-sensing characteristics. These results suggest that NIR luminescent YbIII coordination polymers prepared using pyrene derivatives could have applications in novel thermo-stable oxygen sensors.