Chemoselective and stereoselective charge transfer dynamic quenching with triazacyclononane europium and terbium tetra-azatriphenylene complexes

Dynamic quenching of the terbium and europium excited states of chiral 9-coordinate complexes incorporating a tetra-azatriphylene sensitising group is shown by emission and CPL spectroscopy to be both chemoselective and stereoselective for electron rich phenols that include (S)-DOPA, dopamine, homovanillic acid and (S) and (R)-Trolox; the efficiency of dynamic quenching is determined neither by the charge nor the oxidation potential of the quenching species.