A covalent triazine-based framework from tetraphenylthiophene and 2,4,6-trichloro-1,3,5-triazine motifs for sensing o-nitrophenol and effective I2 uptake

A covalent triazine-based framework with a tetraphenylthiophene (TTPT) backbone was prepared by the AlCl3 catalyzed Friedel–Crafts reaction of commercially available material 2,4,6-trichloro-1,3,5-triazine with tetraphenylthiophene in dichloromethane. This is the first report about the tetraphenylthiophene-based covalent triazine-based framework, which belongs to a nitrogen-rich conjugated microporous polymer. The surface area of TTPT was 315.5 m2 g−1. Taking advantage of its large surface area and strong fluorescence, TTPT showed very fast responses and high sensitivity and selectivity to sensing o-nitrophenol, at a SV constant of 6.20 × 103 L mol−1. The limit of detection (LOD) was 2.18 × 10−9 mol L−1. Furthermore, TTPT displayed efficient and reversible adsorption of radioactive I2 in vapor (up to 1.77 g g−1) and in solution.