A rhodamine-based colorimetric and reversible fluorescent chemosensor for selectively detection of Cu2+ and Hg2+ ions

A bifunctional colorimetric and fluorescent chemosensor RbCS has been successfully designed and synthesized. The chemosensor RbCS exhibits remarkably enhanced absorbance intensity and color change from colorless to pink for Cu2+, and shows significant “off-on” fluorescence accompanied with color changes from colorless to red upon binding to Hg2+.