Experimental and theoretical study on the sensing mechanism of a fluorescence probe for hypochloric acid: a Se···N nonbonding interaction modulated twisting process

In this article, the sensing mechanism of a fluorescence probe for hypochloric acid, NI-Se, has been investigated using experimental and theoretical methods. Based on the results of the steady-state and time-resolved emission spectra of NI-Se and its oxidized form NI-SeO, we suggested that there was twist internal charge transfer (TICT) state with faint fluorescence in NI-Se. Subsequently, the ground and excited state minimum geometries of NI-Se and NI-SeO were optimized with DFT/TD-DFT methods. The results demonstrated there was a twisting process in the excited state of NI-Se and that this twist process was induced by the nonbonding interaction between the Se and N atoms. In addition, the calculated spectra and molecular orbitals confirmed the charge transfer character of the TICT state in NI-Se. To further investigate the driving force behind the twist in NI-Se, we synthesized NI-O, which has no Se···N nonbonding interaction, as a control sample. Herein, we also present the characterization, fluorescence properties and the optimized geometries of NI-O. Moreover, the results showed that Se···N nonbonding interaction plays a significant role in the twisting process of NI-Se.