Two fluoranthene derivatives with “propeller” structure, named as 7,8,9,10-tetraphenylfluoranthene (TPFA) and 3-phenoxy-7,8,9,10-tetraphenyl fluoranthene (PO-TPFA), were designed and synthesized by introducing outer phenyl and phenoxy substituents to fluoranthene. Given the steric hindrance of this unique structure, both organic dyes exhibited similar fluorescence spectra and strong fluorescence emission from the solution to the film state. The introduction of a phenoxy group showed obvious influence to the molecular optical properties of fluoranthene. Density functional theory calculations were further conducted to verify this finding. Both dyes were used as fluorescent probes and exhibited and sensitive fluorescence response to nitroaromatic explosives and highly selectivity to picric acid. Furthermore, PO-TPFA exhibited better detection performance to nitroaromatic explosives than TPFA. This work can serve as a guide for molecular fluorescence design because these dyes possess excellent fluorescence in solution and film states and can be used for the sensitive fluorescence detection of nitroaromatic explosives.

两种具有“推进剂”结构的荧蒽衍生物，分别命名为7,8,9,10-四苯基荧蒽（TPFA）和3-苯氧基-7,8,9,10-四苯基荧蒽（PO - TPFA）是通过将外部苯基和苯氧基取代基引入荧蒽而设计和合成的。考虑到这种独特结构的空间位阻，两种有机染料均显示出相似的荧光光谱以及从溶液到薄膜状态的强荧光发射。苯氧基的引入对荧蒽的分子光学性质显示出明显的影响。进一步进行密度泛函理论计算以验证这一发现。两种染料均用作荧光探针，对硝基芳族炸药表现出灵敏的荧光响应，对苦味酸具有高度选择性。此外，PO - TPFA对硝基芳族炸药的检测性能优于TPFA。。这项工作可以作为分子荧光设计的指南，因为这些染料在溶液和薄膜状态下具有出色的荧光，可以用于硝基芳族炸药的灵敏荧光检测。