A highly selective diarylethene-based fluorescent sensor for respective recognition of Zn2+ and F−

•A new diarylethene with an acetohydrazino-linked 8-methoxyquinoline unit was synthesized.•This diarylethene can sever as fluorescent sensor for recognition of Zn2+ and F− ions under the same conditions, respectively.•It exhibits highly selective fluorescent sensor for Zn2+, avoiding the interference of Cd2+.•It is a fluorescent sensor for detection of F− with high selectivity in acetonitrile.

A new photochromic diarylethene with an acetohydrazino-linked 8-methoxyquinoline unit was synthesized and its structure was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The diarylethene exhibited favorable photochromism and fluorescent switching properties by photoirradiation. Especially, it can sever as a highly selective fluorescent sensor for recognition of Zn2+ and F− ions, respectively. When triggered by Zn2+, its fluorescence intensity was enhanced evidently and its emission peak was red-shifted from 418 nm to 469 nm with a concomitant color change from dark to bright blue. On the other hand, F− can induce its emission peak to redshift by 129 nm with an emission intensity of 13-fold at the plateau under the same conditions.