Selective “turn-on” fluorescent chemosensors for Cu2+based on anthracene

Simple PET chemosensors based on anthracene show a selective turn-on fluorescence sensing for Cu2+. The flexible receptor is favorable for turn-on sensing due to chelation enhanced fluorescence. Interestingly, the turn-on fluorescence sensing for Cu2+ is hardly disturbed by the competitive cations and other highly prevalent species in biological and environmental systems, implying a potential in the biological and environmental applications.

Anthracene derivatives, as fluorescent chemosensors, show high selectivity for sensing copper ion in a turn-on fashion, and the fluorescence enhancement is hardly disturbed by the other relevant ions.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights
► The anthracene derivatives show a turn-on fluorescence sensing for Cu2+.
► The mechanism of PET chemosensors is chelation enhanced fluorescence effect.
► The turn-on sensing for Cu2+ is hardly disturbed by the other cation.