Highly sensitive and selective turn-on fluorescent sensor for dual recognition of Cu2+ and CN− based on a methylquinoline derivative

Abstract

In this work, we successfully introduced a novel strategy for the rational design of a fluorescence turn-on probe based on diarylethene for copper ion and cyanide ion recognition. The probe was designed by conjugating diarylethene bromide with 2-(methylquinoline-8-yloxy) acetohydrazide and exhibited a 45-fold and 15-fold fluorescent enhancement in the presence of 5 equiv. of Cu2+ and 34 equiv. of CN− respectively. This probe is more stable than chemosensors with Schiff base structure and has multicolor changes with the stimuli of lights, CN−, and Cu2+. This probe can be used to distinguish Cu2+ from CN−in vitro. Furthermore, a logic circuit was designed based on the fluorescent properties of this probe.