Silsesquioxane-Based Hexaphenylsilole-Linked Hybrid Porous Polymer as an Effective Fluorescent Chemosensor for Metal Ions

Silsesquioxane-based hexaphenylsilole-linked hybrid porous polymers (SHHPP-1, 2, and 3), prepared from one-step Friedel-Crafts reaction of octavinylsilsesquioxane (OVS) and 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5-hexaphenylsilole (HPS), have been investigated as potential sensors for heavy metal ions. The results of FTIR, solid state CP/MASNMR (C-13 and Si-29) and elemental analysis indicate that HPS unit has been successfully linked to the silsesquioxane framework. These hybrid porous polymers possess high surface areas and bimodal pore structures, and SHHPP-2 possesses a maximum surface area of 1144m(2)center dot g(-1) and pore volume of 0.94cm(3)center dot g(-1). We have explored the application of these polymers as fluorescent chemosensors. Remarkably, this sensing system exhibits excellent sensitivity toward Fe3+, Ru-3 and Cu2+, and a detection limit as low as 10(-7) M is achieved, especially for Fe3+ with observed K-SV =53695M(-1).