A polymer based fluorescent sensor for Zn2+ detection and its application for constructing logic gates

A polymer-based fluorescent sensor was synthesized by polymerization of (S)-6,6′-dibutyl-3,3′-(di-5-salicylde-ethynyl)-2,2′-binaphthol (M-1) with (R,R)-1,2-diaminocyclohexane (M-2) via nucleophilic addition–elimination reaction. The responsive optical properties of the polymer on transition metal ions were investigated by fluorescence and UV–vis spectra. The polymer (1.0 × 10−5 mol/L in THF) could emit fluorescence at 550 nm and exhibit high selectivity for sensing Zn2+ with 36.1-fold fluorescence enhancement. Three logic gates were designed according to the different fluorescence responses of this polymer sensor to Zn2+ and Cu2+.