Dual-channel recognition of Al3+ and Cu2+ ions using a chiral pyrene-based fluorescent sensor

Specific recognition between Al3+ and Cu2+ has been achieved based on the new mechanism of Cu2+ detection by pyrene dimerization.

Recyclable macromolecular thermogels for Hg(II) detection and separation via sol-gel transition in complex aqueous environments

The sensitive detection and quantitative separation of toxic heavy metal ions in aqueous media are of great importance. In this study, a thermogelling poly(ε-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL-PEG-PCL) triblock copolymer (P1) was synthesized, and difluoroboron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) fluorophore integrated with thiosemicarbazide units was attached to the chain ends of P1 through consecutive post-polymerization modifications, leading to P4. P4 exhibited rapid and selective detection of Hg(II) in 100% aqueous media via turn-on fluorescence emission with a limit of detection (LOD) of as low as 0.461 μM. This turn-on emission behavior is attributed to the suppression of C˭N isomerization caused by the formation of a coordination complex between P4 and Hg(II) ions. The selective and quantitative removal of Hg(II) among various metal ions was achieved by trapping chelated Hg(II) ions inside the dehydrated P4 gel via thermo-controlled sol-gel-dehydrated gel transitions. Treating the Hg(II) ion-trapped dehydrated gels with sodium sulfide (Na₂S) in acetone/water at room temperature led to HgS precipitates, and P4 in solution was dried and recycled. This recyclable thermoresponsive macromolecular probe is promising for not only Hg(II) detection but also its separation and removal from complex aqueous environments.

Multifunctional tryptophan-based fluorescent polymeric probes for sensing, bioimaging and removal of Cu2+ and Hg2+ ions

Fluorescent polymeric probes were synthesized by amalgamating tryptophan and pyridine side-chain moieties through an imine bond with the aim of selectively sense and remove both Cu²⁺ and Hg²⁺ ions from aqueous media.

BODIPY-Derived Polymeric Chemosensor Appended with Thiosemicarbazone Units for the Simultaneous Detection and Separation of Hg(II) Ions in Pure Aqueous Media

Developing a simple and cheap analytical method for the selective detection and quantitative separation of toxic ions present in aqueous media is the biggest challenge faced by the chemosensing research community. Here, a 5,5-difluoro-1,3,7,9-tetramethyl-10-phenyl-5 H-dipyrrolo-diazaborinine-derived water-soluble polymer integrated with thiosemicarbazone units was rationally designed and synthesized for the simultaneous detection and separation of Hg(II) ions in pure aqueous solution. The water-soluble polymer scaffold poly( N, N'-dimethyl acrylamide- co-5,5-difluoro-1,3,7,9-tetramethyl-10-phenyl-5 H-dipyrrolo-diazaborinine-2-carbaldehyde) was synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization, followed by post-polymerization modification with thiosemicarbazide, leading to the formation of the target probe, P1. The nonemitting P1 exhibited bright yellow emission upon exposure to Hg(II) ions, with a limit of detection as low as 0.37 μM. This turn-on emission behavior triggered by Hg(II) ions might originate from the suppression of isomerization around the C═N bond of the thiosemicarbazone moiety caused by the formation of a coordination complex between P1 and Hg(II) ions. In addition, P1 displayed excellent selectivity toward Hg(II) ions over other metal cations. Finally, the selective removal of Hg(II) ions from an aqueous solution containing various metal ions was achieved by precipitation, which is probably caused by the fact that coordination complexes whereby Hg(II) ions acted as bridgeheads between P1 molecules had formed.

An efficient and sensitive chemosensor based on salicylhydrazide for naked-eye and fluorescent detection of Zn2

We reported here the synthesis of a diarylethene with a 2,4-dihydroxybenzoyl hydrazine moiety (1O) for Zn2+ recognition. The compound is easy to prepare with a high yield up to 85%. Compound 1O can act as a highly selective and specific fluorescent sensor for Zn2+ without interference by other common metal ions. The LOD for Zn2+ detection was determined to be 1.28 × 10-6 mol L-1. Meanwhile, 1O can be used as a naked-eye detector for the Zn2+ ion with an obvious color change from colorless to olive. Based on the fluorescent properties of 1O, we constructed a logic circuit with four inputs of the combinational stimuli of UV/vis light and Zn2+/EDTA, and one output of fluorescence intensity.

Efficient Mercury Capture Using Functionalized Porous Organic Polymer

The primary challenge in materials design and synthesis is achieving the balance between performance and economy for real-world application. This issue is addressed by creating a thiol functionalized porous organic polymer (POP) using simple free radical polymerization techniques to prepare a cost-effective material with a high density of chelating sites designed for mercury capture and therefore environmental remediation. The resulting POP is able to remove aqueous and airborne mercury with uptake capacities of 1216 and 630 mg g^-1 , respectively. The material demonstrates rapid kinetics, capable of dropping the mercury concentration from 5 ppm to 1 ppb, lower than the US Environmental Protection Agency's drinking water limit (2 ppb), within 10 min. Furthermore, the material has the added benefits of recyclability, stability in a broad pH range, and selectivity for toxic metals. These results are attributed to the material's physical properties, which include hierarchical porosity, a high density of chelating sites, and the material's robustness, which improve the thiol availability to bind with mercury as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption fine structure studies. The work provides promising results for POPs as an economical material for multiple environmental remediation applications.

Benzophenone based fluorophore for selective detection of Sn2+ ion: Experimental and theoretical study

Synthesis of novel benzophenone-based chemosensor is presented for the selective sensing of Sn²⁺ ion. Screening of competitive metal ions was performed by competitive experiments. The specific cation recognition ability of chemosensor towards Sn²⁺ was investigated by experimental (UV-visible, fluorescence spectroscopy, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, FTIR and HRMS) methods and further supported by Density Functional Theory study. The stoichiometric binding ratio and binding constant (K_a) for complex is found to be 1:1 and 1.50×10⁴, respectively. The detection limit of Sn²⁺ towards chemosensor was found to be 0.3898ppb. Specific selectivity and superiority of chemosensor over another recently reported chemosensor is presented.

Pyrene excimer-based fluorescent sensor for detection and removal of Fe3+ and Pb2+ from aqueous solutions

Pyrene excimer usually serves as a chromogenic unit for developing ratiometric fluorescent sensors. But this study used excimer as a large hydrophobic group to regulate the molecular hydrophobicity, and obtained a new fluorescent sensor, N, N-bi[4(1-pyrene)-butyroyl]ornithine (1), for detection and removal of Fe³⁺ and Pb²⁺ from aqueous solutions. The coordination of 1 and Fe³⁺ in the aqueous solution or even pure water forms removable flocculent precipitates, accompanied by obvious fluorescent quenching of emission spectra. In aqueous solutions containing 40% (v/v) acetonitrile, the special responses exhibit a high selectivity and sensitivity to Fe³⁺ over other common metal ions. However, in aqueous solutions containing 40% (v/v) dimethylsulfoxide, the probe exhibits the analogous fluorescent quenching responses and the removable flocculent precipitates in the presence Fe³⁺ and Pb²⁺. These results indicate that the extremely hydrophobic 1-Fe³⁺/Pb²⁺ complexes are not only a supplement to the fluorescent sensing of Fe³⁺ and Pb²⁺, but also a requirement to the removal of Fe³⁺ and Pb²⁺ from aqueous solutions.

Spirolactam capped cyanine dyes for designing NIR probes to target multiple metal ions

This work reports cyanine based spirocyclic metal ion probes, showing a fluorescence turn-on response to various metal ions in the near-infrared spectral region.

A novel fluorene based “turn on” fluorescent sensor for the determination of zinc and cadmium: experimental and theoretical studies along with live cell imaging

A new “naked-eye” colorimetric and fluorometric chemosensor HAFPA synthesized form both 1 : 1 and 1 : 2 complexes with Zn²⁺ and only 1 : 1 complex with Cd²⁺ which can detect intracellular Zn²⁺ and Cd²⁺ in A549 cells.

A single probe to sense Al(III) colorimetrically and Cd(II) by turn-on fluorescence in physiological conditions and live cells, corroborated by X-ray crystallographic and theoretical studies

A pyridine-2-carbohydrazide functionalized conjugated fluorophoric Schiff base ligand (L₁) specifically senses Al(3+) and Cd(2+) ions through significant changes in its absorption and emission spectral behavior, respectively, in physiological conditions. The spectral changes are in the visible region of the spectrum and thus facilitate naked eye detection. Apart from the visible changes, an in-field device application was demonstrated by sensing these ions in paper strips coated with L₁. The crystal structure of the L₁-Cd complex provided additional insight of the metal coordination attributes of L₁. Interestingly, fluorescence microscopic studies demonstrated that the ligand L₁ could also be used as an effective probe in imaging experiments for the detection of intracellular Cd(2+) ions in HeLa cells, without any toxicity to these model human cells.

A pyrene-based optical probe capable of molecular computation using chemical input strings

Elucidation of molecular computing by employing a pyrene-based chemosensor with Cu²⁺, Fe³⁺, CN⁻ and H⁺ ions as input stimuli and subsequent quantum yields as output responses.

A simple and efficient fluorophoric probe for dual sensing of Fe3+and F−: application to bioimaging in native cellular iron pools and live cells

A quinoline functionalized fluorophore exhibited high selectivity towards Fe³⁺ions and the ligand–metal complex showed excellent selectivity towards F⁻ions.

An overview of the recent developments on Hg2+ recognition

Adverse influences of mercury on living organisms are well known. Despite efforts from various regulatory agencies, the build-up of Hg²⁺ concentration in the environment is of serious concern. This necessitates the search for new and efficient reagents for recognition and detection of Hg²⁺ in environmental samples.

A novel chemosensor with visible light excitability for sensing Zn2+in physiological medium and in HeLa cells

A highly sensitive, fluorescent, non-cytotoxic turn-on chemosensor with visible light excitability for the detection of intracellular Zn²⁺ions.

NIR- and FRET-based sensing of Cu2+ and S2- in physiological conditions and in live cells

We have synthesized a new indole functionalized rhodamine derivative L(1) which specifically binds to Cu(2+) in the presence of large excess of other competing ions with visually observable changes in their electronic and fluorescence spectral behavior. These spectral changes are significant enough in the NIR and visible region of the spectrum and thus enable naked eye detection. The receptor, L(1), could be employed as a resonance energy transfer (RET) based sensor for detection of Cu(2+) based on the process involving the donor indole and the acceptor Cu(2+) bound xanthene fragment. Studies reveal that L(1)-Cu complex is selectively and fully reversible in presence of sulfide anions. Further, fluorescence microscopic studies confirmed that the reagent L(1) could also be used as an imaging probe for detection of uptake of these ions in HeLa cells.