The development and amino acid binding ability of nano-materials based on azo derivatives: Theory and experiment

Reactive Blue 4 as a Single Colorimetric Chemosensor for Sequential Determination of Multiple Analytes with Different Optical Responses in Aqueous Media: Cu2+-Cysteine Using a Metal Ion Displacement and Cu2+-Arginine Through the Host-Guest Interaction

In the current study, we reported a novel label-free and facile colorimetric approach for the sequential detection of copper ion (Cu²⁺), L-arginine (Arg), and L-cysteine (Cys) in the H₂O (10.0 mmol L^-1 HEPES buffer solution, pH 7.0) using Reactive Blue 4 (RB4). First, the presence of Cu²⁺ led to a naked-eye color and spectral changes according to the binding site-signaling subunit approach. Then, the RB4-Cu²⁺ complex was successfully applied for Cys and Arg through different recognition pathways. The optical signals for Arg were observed due to its association involving the amino group, as well as the participation of the carboxylate group in a bidentate form to the complex, while selective behavior for Cys was explained by a metal displacement mechanism. The limits of detection for Cu²⁺, Arg, and Cys were calculated to be 1.96, 1.06, and 1.33 μmol L^-1, respectively. It could also be employed for the determination of three analytes in environmental, biological, and pharmaceutical samples. Importantly, the test strips based on RB4-Cu²⁺ complex could be used as a solid-state sensor for the detection of Cys and Arg. In addition, NAND and IMPLICATION molecular logic gates were obtained by using chemical inputs and UV-Vis absorbance signal as the output. Graphical Abstract.

The Synthesis and Anion Recognition Property of Symmetrical Chemosensors Involving Thiourea Groups: Theory and Experiments

The synthesis of four symmetrical compounds containing urea/thiourea and anthracene/nitrobenzene groups was optimized. N,N’-Di((anthracen-9-yl)-methylene)thio-carbonohydrazide showed sensitive and selective binding ability for acetate ion among the studied anions. The presence of other competitive anions including F⁻, H₂PO₄⁻, Cl⁻, Br⁻ and I⁻ did not interfere with the strong binding ability. The mechanism of the host-guest interaction was through multiple hydrogen bonds due to the conformational complementarity and higher basicity. A theoretical investigation explained that intra-molecular hydrogen bonds existed in the compound which could strengthen the anion binding ability. In addition, molecular frontier orbitals in molecular interplay were introduced in order to explain the red-shift phenomenon in the host-guest interaction process. Compounds based on thiourea and anthracene derivatives can thus be used as a chemosensor for detecting acetate ion in environmental and pharmaceutical samples.