A colorimetric and fluorescence enhancement anion probe based on coumarin compounds

•A colorimetric and fluorescence enhancement anion probe 1 was designed and synthesized.•Spectroscopy is used to study binding properties of anion probe 1 for anions such as F-, AcO-, H2PO4-, OHˉ, Cl-, Br- and I-.•The anion probe 1 could sense visually F-, AcO-, H2PO4- and OHˉ through changing color without resorting to any spectroscopic instrumentation.

In this paper, anion probe 1 was designed and synthesized by using phenprocoumon containing acyl hydrazine with p-nitro azo salicylaldehyde reaction Dickson et al. (2008) Dickson et al. (2008) [1]. In the anion probe 1, the nitro moiety is a signaling group and the phenolic hydroxyl moiety is anion binding site. Then the anion probe 1 was characterized by mass spectra (MS) and infrared spectra (IR). The binding properties of the anion probe 1 for anions such as F−, AcO−, H2PO4−, OH−, Cl−, Br− and I− were investigated by ultraviolet-visible (UV–Vis) spectra and fluorescence spectra Shao et al. (2008) Shao et al. (2008) [2]. Furthermore, the color of anion probe 1 after addition of F−, AcO−, H2PO4− and OH− in DMSO changed from yellow to blue, while no obvious color changes were observed by addition of other tested anions. Accordingly, the anion probe 1 could sense visually F−, AcO−, H2PO4− and OH− without resorting to any spectroscopic instrumentation Amendola et al. (2010) Amendola et al. (2010) [3].

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