Exploring Aggregation-Induced Emission in Anthracene-Naphthalene Derivatives for Selected Detection of Nitro Explosives

The detection of nitro explosives is critical for security and environmental monitoring. This study investigates the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties of anthracene and naphthalene derivatives, under varying water fractions between 0% and 70%. These compounds exhibit enhanced fluorescence due to AIE, making them suitable candidates for sensing applications. We demonstrate that nitro compounds, including o-nitroaniline, m-nitroaniline, p-nitroaniline, and picric acid can effectively quench these AIE-active derivatives. The quenching phenomenon reveals that the electron-withdrawing nature of the nitro groups significantly impacts the fluorescence intensity of the probes. This research highlights the potential of these anthracene derivatives as sensitive fluorescent probes for the selected detection of nitro explosives, paving the way for advancements in sensing technologies.