Chromogenic and fluorogenic “off–on–off” chemosensor for selective and sensitive detection of aluminum (Al3+) and bifluoride (HF2−) ions in solution and in living Hep G2 cells: synthesis, experimental and theoretical studies

A simple pyridine-dicarbohydrazide based colorimetric and fluorometric chemosensor L was designed and synthesized for Al³⁺ ion sensing in organo aqueous solution.

Aggregation-Induced Emission-Active Hydrazide-Based Probe: Selective Sensing of Al3+, HF2 -, and Nitro Explosives

(E)-N'-((2-Hydroxynaphthalen-1-yl)methylene)picolinohydrazide (H-PNAP) shows aggregation-induced emission (AIE) strictly in a 90% water/MeOH (v/v) mixture at 540 nm, and the solid-state emission is blue-shifted to 509 nm upon excitation at 400 nm. The AIE activity of H-PNAP is selectively quenched by 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) and 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) out of different nitroaromatic compounds with a limit of detection (LOD) of 7.79 × 10-7 and 9.08 × 10-7 M, respectively. The probe is nonemissive in aqueous medium (4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid, HEPES buffer, pH 7.2); however, it shows a strong emission to Al3+ (λem, 490 nm) in the presence of 17 other biological metal ions, and the LOD is 2.09 nM which is far below the WHO recommended value (7.41 mM). The emission of the [Al(PNAP)(NO3)2] complex is quenched by HF2 - (F- and PO4 3- are weak quencher), and the LOD is as low as 15 nM. The probable mechanism of the sensing feature of the probe has been authenticated by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance titration, mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Benesi-Hildebrand plot, and Job's plot in each case. The probe has some practical applications such as recovery of Al3+ from the drinking water sample, construction of the INHIBIT logic gate, and detection kits for Al3+ and TNP/DNP by simple paper test strips. The probe, H-PNAP, has successfully been applied to the detection of intracellular Al3+ and HF2 - ions in the human breast cancer cell, MDA-MB-468.

Conformation and Visual Distinction between Urea and Thiourea Derivatives by an Acetate Ion and a Hexafluorosilicate Cocrystal of the Urea Derivative in the Detection of Water in Dimethylsulfoxide

Structures of different solvates and solute-solvent interactions of 4-(3-(4-nitrophenyl)urido)benzoate (L ₁ ) and methyl-4-(3-(4-nitrophenyl)thiourido)benzoate (L ₂ ) with different solvents are analyzed. The solution of L ₁ with tetrabutylammonium acetate (TBAA) in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) is colorless, but a similar solution of L ₂ with TBAA is orange. On the other hand, respective solutions of these urea and thiourea derivatives with tetrabutylammonium fluoride (TBAF) in DMSO are orange. Urea derivative L ₁ facilitates the reaction of TBAF with glass to form tetrabutylammonium hexafluorosilicate, which on further interaction with L ₁ forms cocrystal 2L ₁ ·(TBA)₂SiF₆. Reorganization of hydrogen-bonded self-assembly of 2L ₁ ·(TBA)₂SiF₆ in DMSO caused by water is established by a dynamic light scattering study. With an increase in the amount of water in the solution, visual color changes from orange to colorless, and the color changes are reversed upon the addition of a dehydrating agent such as molecular sieves. Solvates of L ₁ with DMSO, dimethylformamide (DMF), and dimethylacetamide are quasi-isostructural. The respective self-assembly of these solvates differs due to orientations of aromatic rings and the carbomethoxy group across the thioamide/amide bond. Significant differences in self-assemblies of the respective DMSO solvate of L ₁ and L ₂ are observed; self-assembly of the former has dimeric subassemblies as repeat units, whereas the latter has monomeric subassemblies. DMF solvates of L ₁ and dimethylacetamide of L ₁ are built by dimeric subassemblies to form self-assembled structures, but these subassemblies differ in the orientation of the carbomethoxy group across the urea units.