Simultaneous bioimaging recognition of cation Al3+ and anion F− by a fluorogenic method

• Sensor 1 was developed to detect both Al3+ and F− by a fluorogenic method.
• 1 showed the simultaneous detection of both Al3+ and F− in living cells.
• Sensing mechanisms of Al3+ and F− were explained by theoretical calculations.

A new highly selective and sensitive chemosensor 1 for both Al3+ and F− was designed and synthesized. 1 could detect both Al3+ and F− with turn-on fluorescence behavior in a nearly perfect aqueous solution. The binding stoichiometry of receptor 1 with Al3+ and F− was proposed to be 1:1, respectively, based on Job plot, 1H NMR titration and ESI-mass spectrometry analysis. The detection limits (1.12 μM for Al3+ and 7.01 μM for F−) of 1 for Al3+ and F− were lower than the World Health Organization guidelines (7.41 μM for Al3+ and 79 μM for F−) for drinking water. Chemosensor 1 was also successfully applied to living cells for simultaneous detection and quantification of both Al3+ and F−. Moreover, the sensing mechanisms of 1 toward Al3+ and F− were explained by theoretical calculations.

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