An efficient ICT-based ratio/colorimetric tripodal azobenzene probe for the recognition/discrimination of F-, AcO- and H2PO4- anions

An Investigation into Anion Sensing of the Molecular Aggregate of 4-(Pyrrol-1-yl)pyridine and Its Derivatives

Recently, 4-(pyrrol-1-yl)pyridine has been found to act as a supramolecular chemodosimeter, sensing nitrite ions in an aqueous solution with naked eye detection and a low limit of detection of 0.330 ppm. This work explores the anion-sensing properties of related derivatives, 4-(2,5-dimethyl-pyrrol-1-yl)pyridine and 4-(2,4-dimethyl-pyrrol-1-yl)pyridine, and provides a comparison with the parent compound. These molecules are determined to be effective sensors for nitrite ions with limits of detection of 1.06 ppm and 1.05 ppm, respectively. The high sensitivity and selectivity to nitrite remain even in the presence of competing anions such as SO32-, NO32-, PO43-, SO42-, Cl-, F-, I-, Br-, AcO-, and CN-. Analogous to the 4-(pyrrol-1-yl)pyridine system, the sensing mechanism appears to be the result of changes in the supramolecular aggregate system upon the interaction of an anion; this is further explored through dynamic light scattering, the Tyndall effect, and NMR spectroscopy. The two methylated derivative systems reported herein, 4-(2,5-dimethyl-pyrrol-1-yl)pyridine and 4-(2,4-dimethyl-pyrrol-1-yl)pyridine, are shown to affect the size of the supramolecular system and provide further insight into the unique mechanism of action.

A New, Rapid, Colorimetric Chemodosimeter, 4-(Pyrrol-1-yl)pyridine, for Nitrite Detection in Aqueous Solution

With increasing concerns over environmental impact and overall health of both the environment and its people, a need to quantify contaminants is of the utmost importance. Chemosensors with low detection limits and a relative ease of application can address this challenge. Nitrite ions are known to be detrimental to both the environment and human health. A new colorimetric chemodosimeter has been prepared from the homolytic photochemical cleavage of a reaction between pyrrole and pyridine. The product, 4-(pyrrol-1-yl)pyridine, yields a limit of detection of 0.330 (±0.09) ppm for the detection of nitrite in aqueous solution, employing a colorimetric change from yellow to pink. It is also highly selective for nitrite when various competitive anions such as SO3 2-, NO3 -, PO4 3-, SO4 -2, Cl-, F-, I-, Br-, AcO-, and CN- are present in great excess. The molecule's especially high sensitivity to nitrite is apparently the result of a complex supramolecular mechanism, characterized by both dynamic light scattering of the aggregate and the Tyndall effect. Consequently, this new sensor provides a simple, low-cost way to rapidly detect nitrite anions in aqueous solution.

A supramolecular fluorescence sensor array for the differentiation of multiple anions and prediction of iodine in artificial urine using machine learning

The simultaneous discrimination and detection of multiple anions in an aqueous solution has been a major challenge due to their structural similarity and low charge radii. In this study, we have constructed a supramolecular fluorescence sensor array based on three host-guest complexes to distinguish five anions (F-, Cl-, Br-, I-, and ClO-) in an aqueous solution using anionic-induced fluorescence quenching combined with linear discriminant analysis. Due to the different affinities of the three host-guest complexes for each anion the anion quenching efficiency for each host-guest complex was likewise different, and the five anions were well recognized. The fluorescence sensor array not only distinguished anions at different concentrations (0.5, 10, and 50 µM) with 100% accuracy but also showed good linearity within a certain concentration range. The limit of detection (LOD) was < 0.5 µM. Our interference study showed that the developed sensor array had good anti-interference ability. The practicability of the developed sensor array was also verified by the identification and differentiation of toothpaste brands with different fluoride content and the prediction of the iodine concentration in urine combined with machine learning.

Synthesis and application of hypochlorite mediated acylhydrazone fluorescence probes

Hypochlorous acid (HClO/ClO- ) is one of the important reactive oxygen species (ROS). It acts as a second signaling molecule within and between cells and is an indispensable active molecule in living organisms to regulate physiological and pathological processes. In this article, two fluorescent probes (PTF and PTA) for highly selective fluorescent recognition of ClO- were successfully synthesized based on the ICT mechanism by condensing phenothiazines with two hydrazides via the hydrazide structure (). PTF can identify different concentrations of ClO- in two steps. Due to its ClO- two site recognition, the probe exhibited good selectivity (specific recognition of ClO- over a wide concentration range), a fast time response (rapid recognition in seconds), a sufficiently low detection limit (3.6 and 11.0 nM), and large Stokes shifts (180 and 145 nm). Furthermore, the recognition of ClO- by contrasting probes with different substituents exhibited different fluorescence changes of ratiometric type and turn-off. PTF successfully achieves the detection of exogenous and endogenous ClO- in aqueous solution and living cells.