An Acylhydrazone-Based Fluorescent Sensor for Sequential Recognition of Al³⁺ and H₂PO₄⁻

Abstract

A novel acylhydrazone-based fluorescent sensor NATB was designed and synthesized for consecutive sensing of Al3+ and H2PO4−. NATB displayed fluorometric sensing to Al3+ and could sequentially detect H2PO4− by fluorescence quenching. The limits of detection for Al3+ and H2PO4− were determined to be 0.83 and 1.7 μM, respectively. The binding ratios of NATB to Al3+ and NATB-Al3+ to H2PO4− were found to be 1:1. The sequential recognition of Al3+ and H2PO4− by NATB could be repeated consecutively. In addition, the practicality of NATB was confirmed with the application of test strips. The sensing mechanisms of Al3+ and H2PO4− by NATB were investigated through fluorescence and UV–Visible spectroscopy, Job plot, ESI-MS, 1H NMR titration, and DFT calculations.

Keywords

• aluminum ion
• dihydrogen phosphate
• acylhydrazone
• fluorescent chemosensor
• sequential detection
• calculations