One-pot synthesis of indolizine functionalized nanohyperbranched polyesters with different nano morphologies and their fluorescent response to anthracene

The structurally controllable hyperbranched HBPE–CIDAs (HBPE modified with CIDA units) were synthesized by modifying the periphery of the second generation hyperbranched polyester (HBPE) with 1-cyanoindolizine-3-carboxylic acid (CIDA) groups via a one-pot synthesis. The structures and self-assembly behaviors of HBPE–CIDAs were established by combined studies of FFT-IR, NMR, TEM, SEM, AFM and XRD. Furthermore, host–guest recognition of HBPE–CIDAs was investigated by fluorescence studies. The results indicated that the HBPE–CIDA4 nanospindles have weaker response to various metal ions while having better selectivity to anthracene through π–π stacking interactions than the HBPE–CIDA1 nanospheres.