ESIPT‐Based Dual Chemosensor for Sequential Detection of Cd2+/Zn2+ and Nucleoside Triphosphates in Water: Application in Logic Gates

Abstract

AbstractHere in, novel excited state intramolecular charge transfer (ESIPT)‐modulated fluorophore based on diphenylpyrimidinone DPHQ has been designed and synthesized. DPHQ shows selective 8‐fold ‘turn‐on’ fluorescence response with Cd2+/Zn2+ in buffer (containing 1% CH3CN, pH 7.2) with low detection limits of 55.7/2.7 nM accompanied with a fluorescent colour change from colourless to cyan. DPHQ–Cd2+ ensemble undergo selective fluorescence quenching with nucleoside triphosphates but it is silent to nucleoside di‐and mono‐phosphates. It can detect 58.4 nM concentration of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The binding mode and sensing mechanism of DPHQ with Cd2+/Zn2+ was supported by the change in optical behaviors, density functional theory (DFT) calculations and Job's plot. DPHQ was successfully used for construction of ‘Set‐Reset’ memorized logic devices and OR, INHIBIT logic gates. As practical applications of DPHQ, we utilized DPHQ for detection of Cd2+/Zn2+ in blood serum and quantification of Zn2+ in tap water samples.