D–π–A–π–D type solvatochromic fluorescence probes based on triphenylamine: Synthesis, photophysical properties and application

Two D–π–A–π–D type solvatochromic fluorescence probes (JT1 and JT2) based on triphenylamine have been synthesized. The photophysical and electrochemical properties of these probes as well as their solvatochromic behavior were studied. The Stokes shifts of JT1 and JT2 reach 175 nm (6417.0 cm−1) and 218.6 nm (9916.7 cm−1) in the acetonitrile solution, respectively. There is an excellent linear correlation between the Stokes shifts and the ET (30) solvent polarity values in different solvents. The high responsiveness of JT1 and JT2 to solvent polarity makes them promising candidates for solvatochromic fluorescence probes, especially for the detection of the polarity of non-proton solvents or the content of water in tetrahydrofuran.