Fluorescent Redox-Switchable Devices

Abstract

A review. Aiming at a broad coverage of the fascinating field of composite fluorescent redox-active devices, this review illustrates the fundamental working principles of systems with oxidn. state dependent luminescence and redox-switchable and analyte responsive fluorosensors, thereby focusing on multicomponent systems connected via covalent bonds. In the case of fluorescent redox systems that incorporate for instance redox systems such as ferrocene or redox-active transition metal ions, this definition focuses on the covalent bond between the chromophore and the ligand stabilizing the metal ion. The concepts of redox-activated and analyte triggered fluorescence signal generation are highlighted and chem. strategies employed so far for their realization are presented. The intension here is to provide a selective overview rather than an exhaustive review. Special emphasis is dedicated to research by the authors on redox-switchable fluorosensors for metal ions and anions that offer redox control of analyte recognition and emission thereby combining both methodologies. The authors do not attempt to cover neither the field of redox fluorometry nor devices employing redox-active receptors for electrochem. recognizing and sensing analytes via a change in redox potential or redox switches in which electrochem. causes conformational changes inducing gross mech. motions. on SciFinder (R)