A cyanobiphenol-based fluorescent probe for simultaneous recognition of Al³⁺ and Zn²⁺ and its application

A facile cyanobiphenol based probe MHB was synthesized and determined by FT-IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, HRMS and X-ray Crystallography. The probe MHB exhibited fluorescence turn-on phenomenon accompany with obvious color change from dark bule to azure and blue-green upon the addition of Al³⁺ and Zn²⁺, respectively. The binding ratios between probe MHB and Al³⁺/Zn²⁺ was 1:1 determined by Job's plot, which was deeply investigated by FT-IR spectrum, ¹HNMR titration and HRMS analysis. The detection limits of MHB to Al³⁺ and Zn²⁺ were 2.52 × 10^-7 M and 1.74 × 10^-7 M for Zn²⁺, respectively. The application experiments referring to real water samples, test paper and cell image showed that MHB was capable of qualitative and quantitative sensing Al³⁺/Zn²⁺ in environmental and biological system.