Colorimetric and fluorescent sensing of biologically important fluoride in physiological pH condition based on a positive homotropic allosteric system

A novel positive homotropic allosteric system 1 based on 3-methylpyrozole-5-one-4-one-2′,4′-dinitrophenylhydrazone was designed, synthesized and characterized. Colorimetric and fluorescent sensing of anions was achieved in physiological condition (pH 7.4), resulting from the positive homotropic allosterism of 1 induced by anions tested. In particular, the compound 1 exhibited a two-step response to the strong basic anions such as F−. In the first step, the hydrazone form of 1 interacted with anions through hydrogen bonding with an obvious color change from yellow to orange upon addition of 0.3 equiv. of anions. In the second step, with further addition of anions, the hydrazone form of 1 was shifted to the azophenol form, whose anion binding was accompanied with an orange-to-purple color change. In addition, the receptor 1 exhibited a fluorescent enhancement response to anions exploiting two possible signaling transduction mechanisms: (1) inhibition of photoinduced electronic transfer (PET) and (2) binding-induced rigidity of the host molecule.