# Chemoselective and stereoselective charge transfer dynamic quenching with triazacyclononane europium and terbium tetra-azatriphenylene complexes

## TL;DR

This paper shows how certain lanthanide complexes can selectively detect specific types of phenols based on their chemical and stereochemical properties.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates chemoselective and stereoselective dynamic quenching using lanthanide complexes with tetra-azatriphenylene ligands.

## Key findings

- Tb complexes show greater dynamic quenching of lanthanide excited states compared to Eu complexes.
- R-Trolox selectively quenches the Δ enantiomer in Tb complexes.
- Quenching efficiency is not determined by the charge or oxidation potential of the quenching species.

## Abstract

Dynamic quenching of the terbium and europium excited states of chiral 9-coordinate complexes incorporating a tetra-azatriphylene sensitising group is shown by emission and CPL spectroscopy to be both chemoselective and stereoselective for electron rich phenols that include (S)-DOPA, dopamine, homovanillic acid and (S) and (R)-Trolox; the efficiency of dynamic quenching is determined neither by the charge nor the oxidation potential of the quenching species.

Dynamic quenching of the lanthanide excited state is greatest for Tb complexes compared to Eu and reveals selective quenching of the Δ enantiomer by R-Trolox.