A fluorescent coumarin-thiophene hybrid as a ratiometric chemosensor for anions: Synthesis, photophysics, anion sensing and orbital interactions

• A novel fluorescent coumarin-thiophene hybrid as a ratiometric chemosensor for anions is reported.
• The chemosensor is more sensitive to CN− than F− and AcO− at the stochiometric ratio of 1:2.5.
• The experimental results were explained using quantum chemical calculations.
• The starting compound and chemosensor show good thermal stability for practical applications as optical dye.

A colorimetric and fluorimetric fluorescent chemosensor (CT-2), having a coumarin ring as a signaling unit and an acetamido thiophene ring as an H-donor receptor, has been synthesized from amino derivative (CT-1) of CT-2 for the purpose of recognition of anions in DMSO. The absorption and emission maxima were both determined for the fluorescent dye in different solvents. Both hypsochromic shift at the absorption maximum, and quenching of fluorescence after interactions between the anions and the receptoric part, were observed. This phenomenon was explained using orbital interactions based on quantum chemical calculations. The selectivity and sensitivity of CT-2 for F−, Cl−, Br−, I−, AcO−, CN−, H2PO4−, HSO4− and ClO4− anions were determined with spectrophotometric, fluorimetric and 1H NMR titration techniques and it was found that CT-2 be utilized for the detection of CN−, F− and AcO− in the presence of other ions as competitors. Color and fluorescence changes visible to the naked eye and under UV (365 nm) were observed upon addition of CN−, F− and AcO− to the solution of chemosensor (CT-2) in DMSO. The sensor showed no colorimetric and fluorimetric response for the anions such as Cl−, Br−, I−, H2PO4−, HSO4−, and ClO4−. However, 1H NMR titration shows that the chemosensor was more sensitive to CN−, than F− and AcO− at the stochiometric ratio of 1:2.5 respectively. Additionally, the compounds CT-1 and CT-2 showed good thermal stability for practical applications.

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