The interactive effect between the oxazole-containing optical switch nucleus and carbazole-containing salicylidene Schiff base: Enhancing photoreactivity and tuning the ion sensing property

Abstract

A functionalized diarylethene derivative consisting of an oxazole-containing optical switch nucleus and an appending carbazole-containing Schiff base unit was synthesized. The interactive effect of optical switch nucleus and carbazole-containing Schiff base was studied. Introducing a suitable receptor into diarylethene nucleus not only provided a useful strategy for controlling the photoreactivity, but also constructed an effective approach to tuning the ion sensing property. Specifically, appending a carbazole-containing Schiff base moiety to the oxazole-containing optical switch nucleus, the molar absorption coefficient, and the cyclization quantum yield was obviously enhanced. Adding the oxazole-containing optical switch nucleus to the carbazole-containing Schiff base, discrimination of Fe3+ and Cu2+ without any auxiliary reagent was achieved. This study provides a novel design strategy not only for modulating the photoreactivity, but also for the development of optical sensor for discrimination of Fe3+ and Cu2+ ions.