Aqueous-phase synthesis of copper nanoparticles using organic nanoparticles: application of assembly in detection of Cr3+

Abstract

A series of novel heterotripodal receptors were synthesized with potential cation binding sites. Their crystal structure revealed the presence of extensive intramolecular as well as intermolecular hydrogen bonding, which allowed them to process into organic nanoparticles (ONPs) in aqueous medium. The ONPs thus synthesized showed extraordinary ability for chromogenic recognition of Cu 2+ ions, with the consequence that they could easily reduce Cu(II) into Cu(0) to produce copper nanocrystals (CuNCs) that grew on the surface of ONPs to generate hybrid nanomaterials, and were characterized by a number of studies. The hybrid NPs thus produced act as fluorescent probes for detection of Cr3+ in aqueous phase, whereas neither of its constituents (i.e., ONPs or CuNCs) showed this recognition behavior.