Multiple switchable circularly polarized luminescence from nucleotide/terbium(III) complexes

We found that the complexes of nucleotides and terbium(III) exhibit circularly polarized luminescence (CPL). The CPL of GMP/Tb/Ag coordination polymer nanoparticles (CPNs) was converted by a magnetic field and pH. The CPL of the purine nucleobase of nucleotides was opposite to that of the pyrimidine nucleobase. GMP/Tb/Ag CPNs could be used as advanced safety coatings and acid–base switches, and Tb/Ag could be used as CPL probes for rapid differentiation of nucleotides, which provided ideas for multiple transformations and applications of CPL.