Reversible acidochromism of a benzoxazole based scaffold and construction of reconfigurable dual output molecular logic gates

Abstract

This report explores the reversible acidochromism of a benzoxazole-based scaffold (BPP), which is highly sensitive to the acid-base in the liquid and gas phases. With the addition of acid, the solution of BPP changes its color from yellow to pink fuchsia due to the transformation of its imine into quinonoid form. Colour change is completely reversible in the presence of the base, confirming the reversible acidochromic behavior of the present BPP system. Further, a paper strips-based test kit has been demonstrated for the practical utility of the present acidochromic BPP to identify a trace amount of acid-base in solution and gas-phase, respectively. The mechanistic aspect of detection of acid-base and colorimetric change in the presence of acid-base have been explored by density functional theoretical investigations and 1H NMR experiments. Moreover, we have constructed a reconfigurable dual-output combinatorial logic circuit by utilizing the spectral shift between two wavelengths at 404 nm and 552 nm, respectively, and colorimetric change of the BPP in the presence and absence of acid-base.