Coumarin Based Highly Selective "off-on-off" Type Novel Fluorescent Sensor for Cu²⁺ and S^2- in Aqueous Solution

Solvent free synthesis of 6,7-dihydroxy-3-(3-chlorophenyl) coumarin (CFHC) was designed and obtained by the interaction of 2-(2,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-1-(3-chlorophenyl)acrylonitrile with pyridinium hydrochloride in the presence of silica gel by using microwave irradiation. The characterization of CFHC was confirmed by FT-IR, ¹H, ¹³C, ¹³C-APT and 2D HETCOR spectroscopy methods. The optical behavior of CFHC towards metal ions was investigated by UV-visible and fluorescence spectroscopy. CFHC showed "on-off" type fluorescence response towards Cu²⁺ with high selectivity in aqueous solution (CH₃CN/H₂O, 9/1, v/v). Once binding with Cu²⁺, CFHC-Cu²⁺ complex also displayed high selectivity for sulfide, resulting in "off-on" type sensing of sulfide anion. Graphical abstract Visual fluorescence changes upon addition of various metal ions (5.0 eq.) to CFHC in CH₃CN/H₂O (90:10, v/v) under UV excitation (365 nm).