Novel silicon compounds for the detection of fluoride in aqueous environment

INOR 777

Mieock Kim, mkim@mail.chem.tamu.edu, Bryan Carroll, and François P. Gabbaï, gabbai@mail.chem.tamu.edu. Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3255
As part of our continuing interest in the detection of fluoride in aqueous environments, we have recently started to study silicon-based systems that complex or react with fluoride anions. In this presentation, we will report on the synthesis and properties of cationic fluorosilanes of general formula [p-Me3N-C6H4-SiR2F]+ (R = hydrocarbon groups). Such cationic silanes are air-stable but quickly react with fluoride to afford zwitterionic species of general formula p-Me3N-C6H4-SiR2F2. Another strategy involves the fluoride induced de-silylation of derivatives such as p-O2N-C6H4-SiR3. These reactions result in release of the free chromophore and are accompanied by an intense photophysical response.