Synthesis of Fluorophore Based Functional Material for Selective Detection of Al3+ Ion in Water and Decoding the AIEE Property of Its Hydrosol.

A designed aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE) active fluorescence probe 2,3-Bis-[(2-hydroxy-napthalen-1-ylmethylene)-amino]-but-2-enedinitrile (L) was synthesized via one step condensation method. The probe shows swift sensitivity and selectivity toward Al3+over other relevant metal ions and also exhibits significant AIEE phenomena in methanol/water mixture. Significant enhancement of fluorescence intensity is triggered via chelation-enhanced fluorescence through complex (Al3+-L) formation. A 2:1 metal to ligand ratio is observed from Job's plot based on UV - Vis absorption titration and detection limit (LOD) is found as low as 31.14 nM. Moreover, 1H NMR titrations and fluorescence reversibility by adding Al3+ and EDTA sequentially had been performed to establish the binding site of sensor complex (Al3+-L). Time-resolved photoluminescence, dynamic light scattering, optical microscopy, and on-site visualization studies have been performed to understand the AIEE mechanism of L in different volume percentage of water and methanol mixture. An INHIBIT molecular logic gate has been constructed utilizing the fluorescence behavior of the probe, L in presence of Al3+ and strong chelating ligand EDTA.

Anthracene scaffold as highly selective chemosensor for Al3+ and its AIEE activity.

Fluorescent chemosensor, 3-(Anthracen-2-yliminomethyl)-benzene-1,2-diol (ANB) has been synthesized by one-step condensation of 2-aminoanthracene and 2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde and characterized using 1H-NMR, FT-IR and Mass spectroscopic techniques. The probe ANB was found to be an efficient 'turn-on' fluorescence chemosensor for the selective detection of Al3+ ion over other metal ions in an aqueous solution. The chemosensor exhibits ~ 27-fold enhancement of emission intensity in presence of Al3+ ion. Fluorescence quantum values for ANB and (Al3+-ANB)-complex are 0.004 and 0.097, respectively. In addition, the binding constant and the limit of detection were found to be 1.22 × 104 M-1 and 0.391 µM, respectively. The chemosensor ANB binds to Al3+ ions in 2:1 stoichiometric ratio which was supported by Job's plot, 1H-NMR titration and florescence titration. Fluorescence reversibility of the sensor complex was well established by adding EDTA in the same condition and a molecular INHIBIT logic gate was fabricated using this reversible nature of the sensor complex. Additionally, the chemosensor ANB shows a novel aggregation-induced enhanced emission phenomenon, where the aggregate hydrosol of ANB shows enhance emission intensity.

Fluorescence 'Turn-on' Dual Sensor for Selective Detection of Cd2+ and H2AsO4- in Water.

A multi responsive fluorescent probe, N',2-bis(E-4-(diethylamino)-2-hydroxybenzylidene)hydrazine-1-carbothiohydrazideV(H2L) has been synthesized through one step condensation method. Probe, H2L shows 'turn-on' dual sensing properties towards Cd2+ and H2AsO4- at two distinct wavelength. The probe (H2L) is spectroscopically characterized and the chemo-sensing mechanism has been demonstrated through 1H NMR, absorption, steady state and time resolved emission study. The most promising advantage of the probe is its application in the one-pot detection of Cd2+ (λem = 462 nm) and H2AsO4-(λem = 492 nm) where intense emission appears at two different wavelengths and the observed limit of detection (LOD) of H2L towards Cd2+ and H2AsO4- are 2.67 × 10-8 M and 5.14 × 10-6 M respectively. Further the 'turn-on' emission property of H2L towards Cd2+ is applied to construct INHIBIT logic gate.

Highly Sensitive 'on-off' Pyrene Based AIEgen for Selective Sensing of Copper (II) Ions in Aqueous Media.

A Fluorescent chemosensor based on pyrene scaffold, 5-diethylamino-2-(pyren-1-yliminomethyl)-phenol (PDS) is synthesized using condensation method. It displays novel aggregation-induced emission (AIE) phenomena in its aggregated/solid state. The AIE characteristic of PDS is studied in CH3CN/H2O mixtures at different volume percentage of water and morphology of the aggregated particles are investigated by DLS and optical fluorescence microscopic study. The probe is aggregated into ordered one-dimensional (1-D) rod like microcrystals and exhibit high efficiency of solid-state emission with green colour. By taking advantage of its interesting AIE feature, the aggregated hydrosol has been utilized as 'off-on' type fluorescence switching chemosensor with superb selectivity and sensitivity towards Cu2+ions and the limit of detection (LOD) was calculated as low as 6.3 µM. A high Stern-Volmer quenching constant was estimated to be 2.88 × 105 M-1. The proposed chemosensor with AIE feature reveals a prospective view for the on-site visual recognition of Cu2+ ions in fluorescent paper strips and the synthesized probe is also exploited to find out the concentration of Cu2+ions in real water samples.

Designed Synthesis of Fluorescence 'Turn-on' Dual Sensor for Selective Detection of Al3+ and Zn2+ in Water.

1-(Pyridin-2-yl-hydrazonomethyl)-naphthalen-2-ol (PNOH) is a naphthalene-based fluorescence dual chemo-sensor for Al3+ and Zn2+. The probe (PNOH) is spectroscopically characterised and the chemo-sensing mechanism has been demonstrated through 1H NMR, absorption and both steady state and time resolved fluorescence study. The 'turn-on' luminescence property of PNOH is used for the selective detection of trace amount of Al3+and Zn2+via chelation enhanced fluorescence (CHEF) through complex formation. The 1:1 stoichiometry of each sensor-metal complex is observed from Job's plot based on UV-Vis titration. Most promising advantage of the probe (PNOH) is its application in the one-pot detection of Al3+ (λem- 460 nm) and Zn2+ (λem- 510 nm) exciting at same wavelength (λex- 420 nm) while high intense emission appears at two different wavelengths. Limit of detection (LOD) of PNOH towards Al3+ & Zn2+ are found to be 60 nM & 365 nM respectively. Real water sample analysis has also been demonstrated by using the probe PNOH.

An antipyrine based fluorescence "turn-on" dual sensor for Zn2+ and Al3+ and its selective fluorescence "turn-off" sensing towards 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) in the aggregated state.

A 2,6-diformyl-p-cresol (DFC)-4-amino antipyrine (AP) based dual signaling fluorescent Schiff base ligand (DFCAP) is found to exhibit colorimetric and fluorescence turn on selective sensing towards metal ions, Zn2+ and Al3+. It also exhibits a significant aggregation induced emission (AIE) phenomenon by controlling the water-THF solvent ratio which provides robust green emissive fluorogenic aggregates with well-defined morphologies. Turn-on fluorescence enhancements as high as 195 fold and 168 fold in methanol for Al3+ and Zn2+ at 480 nm and 508 nm, respectively, were noticed. The binding constants and stoichiometry determined from the fluorescence titration data are K = 7.63 × 104 M-1 and 3.42 × 104 M-1 and 1 : 1 complexation for both Al3+ and Zn2+ respectively, supported by Job's method. DFCAP shows high sensitivity towards the detection of Zn2+ and Al3+ ions with very low detection limit values of ca. ∼21 nM and 30 nM respectively. Besides by applying its attractive AIE feature, the green emissive hydrosol functions as a good chemosensor with high sensitivity for a selected explosive TNP through ground state complexation with a LOD value of ca. ∼1.74 µM and especially a high Stern-Volmer quenching constant of ca. ∼4.14 × 105 M-1. For instant 'naked eye' response for the trace detection of TNP in the solution state, we fabricated a simple paper strip that could detect TNP on-site in a fast, inexpensive and simple way.