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ABSTRACT
The colorimetric recognition of biologically relevant fluoride (F−), acetate (AcO−), and dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4−) ions, and poisonous arsenite (AsO2−) ions, was devised and new receptors for these anions synthesised via the Schiff base condensation procedure. UV–visible titration, fluorescence titration, 1H-NMR titration, and cyclic voltammetry were used to explore the interactions of receptors R1–R3 with anions and possible detection mechanisms. The synthesised probes could sense inorganic fluoride, acetate, dihydrogen phosphate, and arsenite in the organo–aqueous medium (H2O/ Dimethylsulphoxide, 1: 9, v/v) and displayed a change in colour detectable to the naked eye. Out of the three synthesised receptors, receptor R1 showed better sensing ability of fluoride, acetate, dihydrogen phosphate, and arsenite ions in the organo–aqueous medium with a lower detection limit of 0.1 ppm, 0.171 ppm, 0.194 ppm, and 0.144 ppm, respectively. All three receptors formed complexes with the anions through H-bonding interaction followed by deprotonation of the NH proton.
Graphical Abstract
Acknowledgments
The authors convey their gratefulness to the Director and HOD (Department of Chemistry), NITK, Surathkal, for providing access to the research infrastructure. NK and AS are grateful to NITK for the research fellowship. The authors thank MIT, Manipal for help in 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR analysis, Mangalore university for mass analysis, and STIC, Cochin for the CHN analysis.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Supplementary material
Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/10610278.2022.2087524.