In this report, we successfully engineered a novel probe based on an acceptor-donor-acceptor (A-D-A) architecture featuring dicyanovinyl-substituted thieno[3,2-b]thiophene, termed DCVTT. The designed probe self-assembles into luminous nanoparticles (DCVTT NPs) upon introducing mixed aqueous solutions. These fluorescent nanostructures served as a ratiometric probe for detecting cyanide (CN-) ions in aqueous-based environments, owing to the robust Intramolecular Charge Transfer (ICT) characteristics of DCVTT. The A-D-A substituents in DCVTT significantly enhanced ICT behavior by promoting more efficient electron transfer between the donor and acceptor groups. This improved electron transfer process leads to heightened sensitivity in detection applications. In the case of cyanide (CN) sensing, this enhanced ICT behavior manifests as a strong colorimetric response, allowing for a visible color change before and after interaction with cyanide. Speculation regarding the interaction mechanism between DCVTT and CN- is proposed based on the findings of various experimental analyses. The detection limit (LOD) for DCVTT in identifying CN- is 0.83 nM, significantly lower than the CN- concentration thresholds deemed safe by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT) has been utilized to theoretically analyze the optical properties of DCVTT both before and after the introduction of the CN- ions. A paper-based test strip was developed to demonstrate its practical application to enable efficient qualitative CN- detection by visual inspection. Furthermore, this sensing platform demonstrates highly accurate quantitative detection of CN- in apple seeds. No prior reports have utilized fluorescence techniques to estimate apple seeds' CN levels.

Center for Catalysis and Separations Khalifa University of Science and Technology Abu Dhabi P O Box 127788 United Arab Emirates

Center for Global Infectious Disease Research Seattle Children's Research Institute Seattle WA 98109 USA

Chemical Crystallography Laboratory Khalifa University of Science and Technology Abu Dhabi PO BOX 127788 United Arab Emirates

Department of Chemistry Khalifa University of Science and Technology Abu Dhabi P O Box 127788 United Arab Emirates

Institute for Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry Friedrich Schiller University Jena Humboldtstr 8 D 07743 Jena Germany

Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry Czech Academy of Sciences Flemingovo náměstí 542 2 Prague 160 00 Czech Republic

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