Imidazole Compounds: Synthesis, Characterization and Application in Optical Analysis

Abstract

Imidazole is a five-membered heterocyclic ring containing three carbon atoms, two nitrogen atoms, and two double bonds. Among two nitrogen atoms, one of which carries with a hydrogen atom is a pyrrole-type nitrogen atom, another is a pyridine type nitrogen atom. Hence, the imidazole ring belongs to the π electron-rich aromatic ring and can accept strong suction to the electronic group. Moreover, the nitrogen atom of the imidazole ring is coordinated with metal ions to form metal-organic frameworks. In recent years, because of imidazole compounds’ unique optical properties, their applications have attracted more and more attention in optical analysis. Thus, this review has summarized the synthesis, characterization, and application with emphasis on the research progress of imidazole compounds in optical analysis, including fluorescence probe, colorimetric probe, electrochemiluminescence sensor, fiber optical sensor, surface plasmon resonance, etc. This paper will suggest the direction for the development of imidazole-containing sensors with high sensitivity and selectivity.

Keywords:

• Imidazole
• optical analysis
• fluorescence
• colorimetry
• electrochemiluminescence

Disclosure statement

All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from Guangxi science and technology base and talent special project (No. 2018AD19154 and 2021AC20002), and Foundation of Guilin University of Technology.