Efficient Fluoride-Selective Fluorescent Host: Experiment and Theory

Environment-sensitive emission of anionic hydrogen-bonded urea-derivative-acetate-ion complexes and their aggregation-induced emission enhancement

Anions often quench fluorescence (FL). However, strong ionic hydrogen bonding between fluorescent dyes and anion molecules has the potential to control the electronic state of FL dyes, creating new functions via non-covalent interactions. Here, we propose an approach, utilising ionic hydrogen bonding between urea groups and anions, to control the electronic states of fluorophores and develop an aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE) system. The AIEE ionic hydrogen-bonded complex (IHBC) formed between 1,8-diphenylnaphthalene (p-2Urea), with aryl urea groups at the para-positions on the peri-phenyl rings, and acetate ions exhibits high environmental sensitivities in solution phases, and the FL quantum yield (QY) in ion-pair assemblies of the IHBC and tetrabutylammonium cations is more than five times higher than that of the IHBC in solution. Our versatile and simple approach for the design of AIEE dye facilitates the future development of environment-sensitive probes and solid-state emitting materials.

Allosteric binding properties of a 1,3-alternate thiacalix[4]arene-based receptor having phenylthiourea and 2-pyridylmethyl moieties on opposite faces

Thiacalix[4]arene receptors with two thiourea moieties and two 2-pyridyl moieties exhibited a heteroditopic dinuclear receptor with F− and Ag+ ions by a positive allosteric effect.

Atypical Dearomative Spirocyclization of β-Naphthols with Diazoacetamides Using a Silver Catalyst

A chemoselective dearomatization of the less reactive benzenoid unit in β-naphthol was developed. Spirocyclization with a reductant constructs a pivotal structure for drug candidates. One-pot oxidative conversion enabled the tandem dearomatization of β-naphthol, producing conjugated tetraenone variants. The potential utility of the product as an F^--selective anion sensor was also demonstrated. Theoretical studies revealed the intermediacy of silver-carbenoid species leading to chemoselective spirocyclization over arene cyclopropanation.

Dicyclohexylurea derivatives of amino acids as dye absorbent organogels and anion sensors

Dicyclohexyl urea (DCU) derivatives of amino acids Fmoc-Phe-DCU (M1), Fmoc-Phg-DCU (M2) and Fmoc-Gaba-DCU (M3) have been shown to form phase selective, thermoreversible and mechanically robust gels in a large range of organic solvents. This is the first report of low molecular weight gelators (LMWG) from DCU derivatives of amino acids. The self-assembly mechanism of the organogels has been probed using concentration dependent 1H NMR, DMSO titration 1H NMR, fluorescence, FTIR, PXRD and FESEM techniques. Self-assembly leading to gelation process is mainly driven by hydrophobicity and π-π stacking interactions in between Fmoc groups. Interestingly, the gels can absorb several kinds of organic dyes efficiently and can be reused for dye absorption for multiple cycles. Additionally, M1-M3 act as sensors for anions like fluoride, acetate and hydroxide, for which they have specific fluorescence response. Gel formation by M1-M3 is completely arrested in the presence of fluoride. The possible binding mode of fluoride has been delineated using DFT studies. Calculations suggest, involvement of urea NH in a six membered intramolecular hydrogen bond, rendering it unavailable for fluoride binding. Backbone -NH of the amino acids of M1-M3 is responsible for fluoride binding. The reported small, economically viable, synthetically facile molecules not only enrich the repertoire of LMWG molecules, but can have multifaceted applications.

A Photoswitchable Colorimetric Sensor for Fluoride Based on a Dithienylethene Unit

A novel dithienylethene amide-based photoswitchable anion receptor was synthesised by amidation of 4,4′-(cyclopent-1-ene-1,2-diyl) bis(5-methylthiophene-2-carboxylic acid) with 4-nitroaniline in 56% yield under mild conditions; its structure was confirmed by NMR, MS and elemental analysis. Investigation of its photochromic properties indicated that 4,4′-(cyclopent-1-ene-1,2-diyl)bis[5-methyl-N-(4-nitrophenyl) thiophene-2-carboxamide] had good reversibility and excellent fatigue resistance upon irradiation with UV or visible light and can serve as a colorimetric sensor for fluoride, resulting in a significant change in the absorption spectrum.

A pyrene-benzimidazole composed effective fluoride sensor: potential mimicking of a Boolean logic gate

A highly selective fluoride sensor based on a pyrene benzimidazole unit was developed and studied for recyclable memory function.

Visible colorimetric fluoride and hydroxide sensing by asymmetric tris-urea receptors: combined experimental and theoretical studies

A series of asymmetric tris-urea receptors with electron withdrawing group (EWG) or electron donating group (EDG), L1–L4, were synthesized and characterized by HRMS, NMR and single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques.

A naphthalene benzimidazole-based chemosensor for the colorimetric and on-off fluorescent detection of fluoride ion

A novel naphthalene benzimidazole (NBI)-based chemosensor (D2) was developed for fluoride ion (F^-) detection. The absorption spectrum of D2 changed dramatically from yellow to blue in the visible region accompanied with a 225nm red shift of its absorption maximum upon the addition of F^- in DMSO. D2 also exhibited a fluorescence turn-off response towards the fluoride ion. The emission intensity of D2 decreased drastically along the increasing F^- concentration and the detection limit for F^- was as low as 3.2×10^-9mol/L. ¹H NMR and HRMS-ESI results indicated that the formation of NBI-O^- through the desilylation reaction of F^- with NBI-OSi was responsible for the spectral changes. Overall, this kind of NBI-type molecules represent a new type chemosensor for the spectral detection of fluoride ion in solution.

Fluoride Anion Recognition by a Multifunctional Urea Derivative: An Experimental and Theoretical Study

In this work we demonstrate the ability of a multifaceted N,N'-disubstituted urea to selectively recognize fluoride anion (F(-)) among other halides. This additional function is now added to its already reported organocatalytic and organogelator properties. The signaling mechanism relies on the formation of a charge-transfer (CT) complex between the urea-based sensor and F¯ in the ground state with a high association constant as demonstrated by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. The nature of the hydrogen bonding interaction between the sensor and F¯ was established by ¹H-NMR studies and theoretical calculations. Moreover, the recovery of the sensor was achieved by addition of methanol.

Anion recognition by oligo-(thio)urea-based receptors

Recent progress in the construction of metal-coordination-assisted and covalently connected oligourea receptors and their anion coordination chemistry is presented.

A study on fluoride detection and assembly of hydroxyaromatic aldoximes caused by tetrabutylammonium fluoride

Different assemblies formed by the interactions of tetrabutylammonium fluoride with hydroxy-aromatic oximes show characteristic optical properties.

Positive and negative allosteric effects of thiacalix[4]arene-based receptors having urea and crown-ether moieties

Allosteric binding behaviors of heteroditopic receptors bearing the 1,3-alternate conformation based thiacalix[4]arene have been evaluated by absorption and ¹H NMR titration experiments.

Colorimetric and ratiometric fluorescent chemosensor for fluoride ions based on phenanthroimidazole (PI): spectroscopic, NMR and density functional studies

Phenanthro-imidazole conjugate of biscarbanohyrazone, probe PI was designed, synthesized and characterized for selective detection of fluoride ion.

Colorimetric anion sensor based on receptor having indole- and thiourea-binding sites

A new colorimetric sensor having nitro-substituted indole and bisthiocarbonohydrazone units for selective fluoride and acetate ions has been designed and synthesized.

UNDERSTANDING OF MOLECULAR FUNCTIONS: COMPUTATIONAL APPROACHES

Accurate quantum computational chemistry has evolved dramatically. The size of molecular systems, which can be studied accurately using molecular theory, is increasing very rapidly. Theoretical chemistry has opened up a world of new possibilities. It can treat real systems with predictable accuracy. Computational chemistry is becoming an integral part of theoretical and experimental research in chemical science. In this paper, we will review our recent developments in the theoretical and computational study on some very interesting subjects such as fluorescent fluoride sensor, "on–off" molecular switch, electron transport through π-stacking, and molecular electronic device on the basis of the molecular functional levels. We provide a brief introduction about the importance of all these systems in the present scenario of scientific activity and the numerical results and discussion in the light of experimentally found results. We have enjoyed good progress in each of the above areas. We are very excited about our discoveries in each field and would like to share this enthusiasm with readers.

A novel fluoride ion colorimetric chemosensor based on coumarin

A novel visible colorimetric sensor (L1) with high selectivity for fluoride ion based on coumarin has been synthesized by a simple modification of our earlier report. The chemosensor L1 shows an obvious color change from yellow to blue upon addition of fluoride ion with a large red shift of 145 nm in acetonitrile, and without interference of other anions such as Cl-, Br-, I-, NO3-, H2PO4-, HSO4-, and AcO-. The investigation of 1H NMR spectrum titration indicates the proposed mechanism is that F- first establishes a hydrogen bonding interaction with L1, and then the formation of [F-H-F]- induces deprotonation.