Self-Assembled Luminescent Networks of Copper(I) Cyanide Robert D. Pike, Department of Chemistry, College of William & Mary Photoactive materials that are responsive to volatile organic compounds have the potential to act as environmental sensors. In our work, copper(I) cyanide has been found to spontaneously react with liquid or vapor-phase amines to form polymer compounds. In the case of vapor exposure, the polymers are formed on bulk CuCN as surface layers which can be removed under vacuum. Luminescence behavior has been noted for these materials (whether as surface layers or as pure compounds). Remarkable response selectivity toward similar amines has been noted, e.g. piperidine “G”, N-methylpiperidine “H”, and N-ethylpiperidine “I” (see boxed experiments). Left: CuCN powder in well-plate, 2-3 Drops of amine added to surface, black light irradiation (254 nm); right: amines used. X-ray structure of the luminescent phase “G”: (CuCN)3(Piperidine)4