Sonochemical Synthesis of Cyclodextrin-Coated Quantum Dots for Optical Detection of Pollutant Phenols in Water Haibing Li Cuiping Han 10.1021/cm8009176.s002 https://acs.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Sonochemical_Synthesis_of_Cyclodextrin_Coated_Quantum_Dots_for_Optical_Detection_of_Pollutant_Phenols_in_Water/2907784 A simple, rapid sonochemical procedure for the preparation of highly fluorescent and water-soluble CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) using α-, β-, and γ-cyclodextrin (CD) as surface-coating agents is reported. The water-soluble QDs were characterized by luminescence spectroscopy, UV−vis spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The quantum yields (QYs) of α-CD-QDs, β-CD-QDs, and γ-CD-QDs in water were about 45, 39, and 27%, respectively. The <i>n</i>-CD-QDs allow highly sensitive determination of phenols by changing CD coating via fluorescence intensity quenching. The α-CD-QDs and β-CD-QDs are sensitive toward <i>p</i>-nitrophenol and 1-naphthol, respectively. Under optimal conditions, the relative fluorescence intensities of α-CD/CdSe/ZnS QDs and β-CD/CdSe/ZnS QDs both decreased linearly with increasing <i>p</i>-nitrophenol and 1-naphthol in the concentration range of 0.01−100 μM, with the corresponding detection limits (3σ) of 7.92 × 10<sup>−9</sup> and 4.83 × 10<sup>−9</sup> M, respectively. However, the sensitivity of <i>n</i>-CD-QDs toward other phenols, including <i>o</i>-nitrophenol, <i>m</i>-nitrophenol, 2-naphthol, <i>o</i>-cresol, <i>m</i>-cresol and <i>p</i>-cresol, are negligible. It is found that <i>p</i>-nitrophenol and 1-naphthol can quench the luminescence of α-CD-QDs and β-CD-QDs in a concentration-dependent manner that is best described by a Stern−Volmer-type equation. The possible underlying mechanism is discussed. 2008-10-14 00:00:00 CD coating NMR spectroscopy Optical Detection luminescence spectroscopy naphthol UV TEM quantum yields Pollutant Phenols sonochemical procedure transmission electron microscopy fluorescence intensities fluorescence intensity quenching concentration range phenol QY Sonochemical Synthesis QD