Optical sensing of amine vapors with a series of tin compounds.

Certain common Sn(2+) salts exhibit bright luminescence of various optical wavelengths upon excitation with 254 nm UV irradiation at room temperature. Light emission can be selectively quenched by exposure to low concentrations of amines, and can in some cases be regenerated with either a nitrogen purge or exposure to acid vapors, rendering the compounds useful for application in optical sensing arrays.