Synthesis of 1,5-bis(4,6-dichloro-1,3,5-triazinylamino)naphthalene and its application to spectrofluorimetric determination of aniline

A new fluorescent reagent 1,5-bis(4,6-dichloro-1,3,5-triazinylamino)naphthalene (DTAN) was synthesized. The optimum conditions of fluorescent reaction of this reagent with aniline (PA) were also investigated. Based on this reaction, a new spectrofluorimetric method was developed for the determination of aniline. The fluorescent intensity was directly proportional to the concentration of aniline in the ranges 0.05-2.0 μg mL−1 and 2.0-50 μg mL−1 with the detection limits of 34 ng mL−1 and 90 ng mL−1. This method is simple, practical and can afford good precision and accuracy and can be successfully applied to assess aniline in water samples. A possible mechanism of the change of fluorescence intensity introduced by putting the aniline into the system is also discussed.