Work

Novel reactions of a profluorescent nitroxide probe with ozone showcase a cascade of solvent-dependent redox reactions

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: 9.5 ppm) produced sufficient fluorescent products for LC-MS analysis, which, when combined with isotope labelling, enabled structural characterization of several products, accounting for 43.5% of the total fluorescent signal. Under similar conditions the parent fluorophore (BPEA) showed no reactivity toward ozone, confirming the specificity of BPEAnit. The primary mechanism is proposed as a single-electron transfer between BPEAnit and ozone, forming an oxoammonium cation and ozone radical anion, which react with DMSO to yield carbon- and sulfur-based adducts. Increased moisture significantly altered the product distribution, highlighting the need to consider ambient humidity in these atmospheric assays. Preliminary evaluation of alternative solvent systems, ethanol and cyclohexane, revealed simpler reaction profiles with fewer products; however factors such as solvent volatility, ozone dose-response, and product stability require further investigation. These findings support the reliability of the BPEAnit probe towards ozone, as well as demonstrating a sensitive, ozone-responsive fluorescence profile, offering potential for broader application in atmospheric monitoring.

Source: RSC Advances

DOI: 10.1039/d5ra03412d

Authors: Zachary E. Brown, Carl P. Soltau, David L. Marshall, Steven E. Bottle, Branka Miljevic

Institution: Queensland University of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Molecular Sensors and Ion Detection

Subfield: Spectroscopy

Field: Chemistry

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,042

Funder: Queensland University of Technology