Consolidating molecular AND logic with two chemical inputs

A novel molecular AND logic gate 1 is demonstrated based on the competition between fluorescence and photoinduced electron transfer (PET). It is constructed according to a ‘receptor2-spacer-fluorophore-spacer-receptor1-spacer-fluorophore-spacer-receptor2’ format where receptor1 is a tertiary amine, receptor2 is a benzo-15-crown-5 ether and the fluorophore is an anthracene moiety, which are separated from each other by methylene spacers. The fluorescence response in methanol is significantly enhanced only when both H+ and Na+ are the inputs at high enough concentrations in accordance with AND logic. Cs+ behaves similarly to Na+, but with a lower fluorescence enhancement, whereas the other alkali metal cations are not effective. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry provides evidence for formation of 1:1 and 1:2 (1:metal) complexes with alkali cations, and formation of a 1:2:1 (1:metal:proton) complex in the additional presence of acid.