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Title: A molecular fluorophore in citric acid/ethylenediamine carbon dots identified and quantified by multinuclear solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance
Abstract

The composition of fluorescent polymer nanoparticles, commonly referred to as carbon dots, synthesized by microwave‐assisted reaction of citric acid and ethylenediamine was investigated by13C,13C{1H},1H─13C,13C{14N}, and15N solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments.13C NMR with spectral editing provided no evidence for significant condensed aromatic or diamondoid carbon phases.15N NMR showed that the nanoparticle matrix has been polymerized by amide and some imide formation. Five small, resolved13C NMR peaks, including an unusual ═CH signal at 84 ppm (1H chemical shift of 5.8 ppm) and ═CN2at 155 ppm, and two distinctive15N NMR resonances near 80 and 160 ppm proved the presence of 5‐oxo‐1,2,3,5‐tetrahydroimidazo[1,2‐a]pyridine‐7‐carboxylic acid (IPCA) or its derivatives. This molecular fluorophore with conjugated double bonds, formed by a double cyclization reaction of citric acid and ethylenediamine as first shown by Y. Song, B. Yang, and coworkers in 2015, accounts for the fluorescence of the carbon dots. Cross‐peaks in a1H─13C HETCOR spectrum with brief1H spin diffusion proved that IPCA is finely dispersed in the polyamide matrix. From quantitative13C and15N NMR spectra, a high concentration (18 ± 2 wt%) of IPCA in the carbon dots was determined. A pronounced gradient in13C chemical‐shift perturbations and peak widths, with the broadest lines near the COO group of IPCA, indicated at least partial transformation of the carboxylic acid of IPCA by amide or ester formation.

 
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Award ID(s):
1503408 1726346
NSF-PAR ID:
10456076
Author(s) / Creator(s):
 ;  ;  ;  ;  
Publisher / Repository:
Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry
Volume:
58
Issue:
11
ISSN:
0749-1581
Page Range / eLocation ID:
p. 1130-1138
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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