Photostable trifluoromethyl-substituted platinum( ii ) emitters for continuous monitoring of molecular oxygen

Three trifluoromethyl-substituted cyclometalated platinum( ii ) complexes were synthesized and fully characterized. The effects of trifluoromethyl substituents on the photoluminescence, redox properties, and oxygen sensing behavior of the platinum complexes are investigated systematically. The photo-degradation test showed that the introduction of a trifluoromethyl substituent could improve the oxidation potentials and photo-luminescence quantum yields of Pt( ii ) complexes effectively and subsequently reduce photo-bleaching. All the trifluoromethyl substituted Pt( ii ) complexes immobilized in IMPES-C are sensitive to molecular oxygen with the capacity to detect molecular oxygen at different concentrations. The optical signals of oxygen sensing show a high operational stability in 13 to 16 cycles in 4000 s. These systems are promising for online continuous monitoring of molecular oxygen.