A Dual-Channel Sensor for Hg(2+) Based on a Diarylethene with a Rhodamine B Unit

A novel diarylethene derivative with a Rhodamine B unit was synthesized successfully. It displayed favorable photochromism upon irradiation with UV/vis light. Upon addition of Hg(2+), distinct changes were observed in the absorption and fluorescent spectra due to the formation of a 1:1 ligand/metal complex. As a result, the diarylethene can serve as a fluorescence / colorimetric dual-channel sensor for highly selective and sensitive recognition of Hg(2+) in acetonitrile. Moreover, a complicated logic circuit was constructed with the combinational stimuli of UV/vis, Hg(2+)/ EDTA as input signals and the fluorescence intensity at 605 nm as output signal.