A simple structure fluorescent chemosensor for high selectivity and sensitivity of aluminum ions

A highly selective and sensitive fluorescent turn-on chemosensor methyl pyrazinylketone benzoyl hydrazone (MPBH) was synthesized by a facile one-step Schiff base reaction. MPBH which owns a quite simple structure showed a high selectivity for Al3+ over other metal ions in ethanol. Due to the formation of a 1:1 complex between MPBH and the aluminum ions, a significant fluorescence enhancement with a turn-on ratio over 800-fold was achieved. The detection limit of MPBH for Al3+ reached at 10−7 M level.

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► The fluorescent chemosensor was synthesized by a facile one-step reaction.
► The structure of the fluorescent chemosensor is quite simple with a molecular weight at 240.
► The fluorescent chemosensor showed high selectivity for Al3+ from fluorescence “off” to fluorescence “on”.
► The detection limit of the fluorescent chemosensor reached at 10−7 M level, pointing to the high sensitivity.