Synthesis and photophysical properties of novel fluorescent fluorene-containing conjugated polymers and their application for the detection of common bisphenols

Novel fluorescent conjugated polymers were synthesized by a Suzuki polycondensation reaction, with high yields and low polydispersities achieved through optimization of the reaction conditions. The photophysical properties of the resulting high quantum yield, highly conjugated polymers were investigated, both as well-dissolved solutions in chloroform and as nanoparticle suspensions in water. A number of these polymers have Stokes shifts of over 100 nm and demonstrate different fluorescent properties in aggregated verse non-aggregated states. Preliminary studies on these polymers suggest they could be used for the detection of common bisphenols, including bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol F (BPF), and bisphenol S (BPS).