Emissive sensors and devices incorporating these sensors

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to luminescent and/or optically absorbing compositions and/or precursors to those compositions, including solid films incorporating these compositions/precursors, exhibiting increased luminescent lifetimes, quantum yields, enhanced stabilities and/or amplified emissions. The present invention also relates to sensors and methods for sensing analytes through luminescent and/or optically absorbing properties of these compositions and/or precursors. Examples of analytes detectable by the invention include, but are not limited to, electrophiles, alkylating agents, thionyl halides, and phosphate ester groups including phophoryl halides, cyanides and thioates such as those found in certain chemical warfare agents. The present invention additionally relates to devices and methods for amplifying emissions, such as those produced using the above-described compositions and/or precursors, by incorporating the composition and/or precursor within a polymer having an energy migration pathway.

1 - 31 . (canceled)  
     
     
         32 . A composition, comprising: 
 a compound having a structure:                                                comprising an organic moiety, {umlaut over (Q)} being one of nitrogen or oxygen, and Y being one of H or SiR 3 , each R independently being one of hydrogen and an organic moiety,    wherein at least a portion of the compound is able to cyclize upon reaction of the compound with an electrophile able to transform OY into an alkylating agent.    
     
     
         33 . The composition of  claim 32 , wherein the electrophile comprises a phosphate ester.  
     
     
         34 . The composition of  claim 32 , wherein the electrophile comprises an electrophilic phosphorous, sulfur, or arsenic atom.  
     
     
         35 . The composition of  claim 34 , wherein the electrophilic phosphorous, sulfur, or arsenic atom is bonded to more than one electron-withdrawing moiety.  
     
     
         36 . The composition of  claim 32 , wherein the electrophile comprises an electrophilic carbon that is multiply-bonded another electrophilic atom.  
     
     
         37 . The composition of  claim 32 , wherein the electrophile is a chemical warfare agent.  
     
     
         38 . The composition of  claim 32 , wherein {umlaut over (Q)} is nitrogen.  
     
     
         39 . The composition of  claim 32 , wherein {umlaut over (Q)} is oxygen.  
     
     
         40 . The composition of  claim 32 , wherein the compound is a polymer.  
     
     
         41 . The composition of  claim 32 , wherein a shortest bond path between O and {umlaut over (Q)} has at least 5 atoms.  
     
     
         42 . The composition of  claim 41 , wherein a shortest bond path between O and {umlaut over (Q)} has exactly 5 atoms.  
     
     
         43 . The composition of  claim 32 , wherein the compound is able to cyclize upon reaction of the compound with the electrophile to produce a product having a structure:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         44 . The composition of  claim 32 , wherein  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       comprises at least one conjugated group.  
     
     
         45 . The composition of  claim 32 , wherein  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       has a structure:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein the structure  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       comprises at least one conjugated group, and  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       comprises at least one carbon atom.  
     
     
         46 . The composition of  claim 45 , wherein  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       comprises a structure:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         47 . The composition of  claim 45 , wherein  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       consists of a structure:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         48 . The composition of  claim 45 , wherein the structure  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       comprises at least two conjugated groups.  
     
     
         49 . The composition of  claim 48 , wherein the two conjugated groups are not conjugated with each other.  
     
     
         50 . The composition of  claim 48 , wherein the two conjugated groups are phenolic groups.  
     
     
         51 . The composition of  claim 48 , wherein the structure  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       comprises at least three conjugated groups.  
     
     
         52 . The composition of  claim 45 , wherein the compound comprises a structure:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein at least one or more of A 110 , A 111 ,A 112 , A 113 , A 114 , A 115 , A 116 , A 117 , A 118 , and A 119  is one of hydrogen, an organic moiety, or a polymer.  
     
     
         53 . The composition of  claim 45 , wherein the compound comprises a structure:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein at least one or more of A 110 , A 111 ,A 112 , A 117 , A 118 , A 119 , A 120 , A 121 , A 122 , and A 123  is one of hydrogen, an organic moiety, or a polymer.  
     
     
         54 . The composition of  claim 45 , wherein the compound comprises a structure:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein at least one or more of A 110 , A 111 ,A 112 , A 113 , A 114 , A 115 , A 116 , and A 124  is one of hydrogen, an organic moiety, or a polymer.  
     
     
         55 . The composition of  claim 32 , wherein the compound has a structure:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein at least one or more of A 1 , A 2 , A 3 , A 4 , A 5 , A 6 , A 7 , and A 8  comprises at least one conjugated group.  
     
     
         56 . The composition of  claim 55 , wherein each of A 5 , A 6 , A 7 , and A 8  independently is hydrogen.  
     
     
         57 . The composition of  claim 55 , wherein the compound has a structure:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         58 . The composition of  claim 57 , wherein each of A 5  and A 6  independently is hydrogen.  
     
     
         59 . The composition of  claim 57 , wherein A 3  and A 4  together comprise a conjugated group.  
     
     
         60 . The composition of  claim 59 , wherein the conjugated group is cyclic.  
     
     
         61 . The composition of  claim 60 , wherein the conjugated group is aromatic.  
     
     
         62 . The composition of  claim 55 , wherein A 1  and A 2  together comprise a conjugated group.  
     
     
         63 . The composition of  claim 62 , wherein the conjugated group is cyclic.  
     
     
         64 . The composition of  claim 55 , wherein the compound has a structure:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein each of A 11 , A 12 , A 13 , and A 14  independently comprise at least one atom.  
     
     
         65 . The composition of  claim 64 , wherein at least one of A 11 , A 12 , A 13 , and A 14  comprises a conjugated group.  
     
     
         66 - 80 . (canceled)  
     
     
         81 . The composition of  claim 55 , wherein the compound has a structure:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein each of A 51 , A 52 , A 53 , and A 54  independently comprise at least one atom.  
     
     
         82 - 126 . (canceled)  
     
     
         127 . A method, comprising: 
 reacting a compound with an electrophile to produce a product having greater emissivity than the compound, wherein the product comprises at least a portion of the compound that has been cyclized upon reaction with the electrophile.    
     
     
         128 . A method, comprising: 
 cyclizing at least a portion of a compound by reacting the compound with an electrophile, the compound having a structure:                                                comprising an organic moiety, {umlaut over (Q)} being one of nitrogen or oxygen, and Y being one of H, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, and SiR 3 , each R independently being one of hydrogen and an organic moiety.    
     
     
         129 - 135 . (canceled)