Novel indole based dual responsive "turn-on" chemosensor for fluoride ion detection

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Organic Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Development of selective chemosensors is crucial for detecting specific ions in various media.
• Fluoride ion (F-) detection is important in environmental monitoring and biological systems.
• Existing methods for F- detection often suffer from poor selectivity or sensitivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a novel dual channel chemosensor for selective F- ion detection.
• To investigate the sensing mechanism of the chemosensor towards F- ions.
• To evaluate the selectivity and sensitivity of the developed probe for F- detection.

Main Methods:

• Facile one-step condensation reaction for synthesizing the 2,3-bis((E)-(1H-indole-3-yl)methyleneamino)maleonitrile (DN) probe.
• Characterization using elemental analysis, NMR (1H, 13C), ESI-MS, and IR spectroscopy.
• Spectroscopic analysis (absorption and fluorescence) to study the interaction with F- ions and other anions.

Main Results:

• The synthesized DN probe exhibited selective and sensitive detection of F- ions in DMSO.
• Significant changes in absorption and fluorescence spectra were observed upon F- addition, attributed to a charge transfer mechanism.
• The probe demonstrated high selectivity for F- ions, with no interference from other common anions.
• Job's plot analysis confirmed a 1:1 binding stoichiometry between the DN receptor and F- ions.

Conclusions:

• The novel DN chemosensor provides a highly selective and sensitive platform for F- ion detection.
• The charge transfer mechanism facilitates the observed spectral changes, enabling effective sensing.
• This research offers a promising tool for accurate F- ion determination in relevant applications.