Structural and Mechanistic Insights into a Cu-Adenine MOF for Selective Fluorescence Sensing of Antibiotics: Experimental and TDDFT Approaches
摘要
An adenine–succinate-based metal–organic framework, [Cu(adenine)(succinate)]n (CuAS), was synthesized via a solvothermal method and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, PXRD, IR spectroscopy, TGA, and elemental analysis. CuAS forms a three-dimensional framework featuring two directional channels along the a- and b-axes, with amino groups oriented toward the cavities. In methanol, CuAS exhibits a UV–Vis absorption maximum at 260 nm. TDDFT calculations suggest that this band corresponds to a π–π* transition of the adenine ligand. The material shows fluorescence emission at 440 nm in the solid state (λex = 330 nm) and at 430 nm when dispersed in methanol (λex = 350 nm), consistent with intraligand transitions. CuAS acts as a selective fluorescent sensor for the nitrofuran antibiotics nitrofurantoin (NFT) and nitrofurazone (NFZ), exhibiting strong fluorescence quenching primarily driven by photoinduced electron transfer (PET). Stern–Volmer analysis revealed Ksv values of 5.98 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ (NFZ) and 5.88 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ (NFT), with detection limits of 0.136 ppm and 0.110 ppm, respectively. DFT and TDDFT calculations support the PET mechanism, indicating that π-stacked interactions between adenine and NFZ/NFT facilitate electron transfer upon excitation. In contrast, bulky antibiotics show minimal quenching, possibly due to steric hindrance impeding effective interaction. These findings provide molecular-level insights into the fluorescence sensing mechanism and establish CuAS as a promising selective sensor for nitrofuran antibiotics.