Tri-color emission and colorimetric recognition of acetate using semicarbazide and thio-semicarbazide derivatives: Experimental and computational studies

•Thio-semicarbazide (DTSC) derivative shows excellent selectivity for acetate ion.•Naked eye and tricolor emission based detection.•Density functional theory (DFT) based studies of interaction between DTSC and acetate ion.

Two new fluorescence probes having semicarbazide (DSC) and thio-semicarbazide (DTSC) units have been derived upon reaction with 2-hydroxy-5-methylbenzene-1,3-dialdehyde. Both the probes show excellent selectivity for acetate ion in DMSO medium whereby DTSC generates tricolor emission. The association constants of DSC and DTSC for acetate are 6.6×104 M− 1 and 2 × 103 M− 1 respectively with corresponding detection limits, 1.06×10− 7M and 2.5×10− 6 M. Density functional theoretical (DFT) studies nicely demonstrate the interaction between the DTSC and acetate ion.

Graphical abstractA thio-semicarbazide (DTSC) derivative shows excellent selectivity for acetate ion in DMSO medium through tricolor emission. It also allows selective naked eye detection of acetate ion in DMSO. Density functional theoretical (DFT) studies nicely demonstrate the interaction between DTSC and acetate ion.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide