Rapid and highly selective chromogenic detection of nerve agents with a cleft-shaped host

A new chromogenic protocol has been developed for rapid and selective detection of nerve agents like tabun. The chemsensor displayed a drastic color change from its colorless solution to yellow instantaneously with an 89 nm bathochromic shift. No inference of other chemical warfare agents and its mimics was observed either with the naked-eye or by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The development of a portable chemosensor kit for tabun demonstrates its practical application in real-time monitoring.