Highly selective imine-linked fluorescent chemosensor for adenine employing multiple hydrogen bonding

We investigated an imine-linked fluorescent receptor bearing both the hydrogen bond donor and the hydrogen bond acceptor motifs as recognition sites in the design of the receptor. The recognition behavior of the receptor toward various nucleobases was evaluated in CH3CN/H2O (95:5, v/v) solution. The receptor showed significant changes in fluorescent intensity with adenine, but it showed no such changes on the addition of other nucleobases.