Chemical and electrochemical behaviour of 4,4’,4’’,4’’’-tetrakis(dimethylamino)-tetraphenylethylene in an oxidant environment: Toward a new sensor for NO2 and SO2 in gas phase

[Display omitted] •Electrochromic TPE-derivatives as sensors for nitric dioxide and sulfur dioxide.•SO2 mediated oxidation of TDMATPE by t-butylhydroperoxide.•H2O mediated reductions of TDMATPE dication at pH > 10. Electrochromic compounds are suitable candidates for being used in sensor design. Here we report the use of 4,4’,4’’,4’’’-tetrakis(dimethylamino)-tetraphenylethylene for detecting both NO2 and SO2. Whereas the sensing mechanism in the case of nitrogen dioxide is a simple chemical oxidation reaction, in the case of sulfur dioxide, the mechanism is much more complex and the reaction requires the presence of t-butylhydroperoxide to take place. By modifying the detection conditions both compounds can be detected in gas phase. Additionally, a wide electrochemical study has been carried out to understand the role played by the t-butylhydroperoxide in the reaction with sulfur dioxide.