Fluorescent chemosensing for aromatic compounds by a supramolecular complex composed of tin(iv) porphyrin, viologen, and cucurbit[8]uril.

We demonstrate fluorescent chemosensing for biologically important aromatic compounds by a supramolecular system consisting of tin(iv) porphyrin, viologen, and cucurbit[8]uril. The detection is successfully achieved by the inclusion of an aromatic analyte through the charge-transfer interaction with the viologen unit in the cavity of cucurbit[8]uril, in which the strong charge-transfer interaction interrupts the photo-induced electron transfer from the tin(iv) porphyrin core to the viologen ligands to lead to the efficient emission of the fluorescence from the porphyrin ring.