A novel ferrocenyl-based multichannel probe for colorimetric detection of Cu(II) and reversible fluorescent turn-on recognition of Hg(II) in aqueous environment and living cells

Ferrocenyl-based carbazole derivative has been synthesized by a simple one-step reaction and characterized by H-1 NMR, C-13 NMR, ESI-MS and X-ray analysis. Meanwhile, The newly synthesized receptor 1 displayed reversible fluorescent turn on response toward Hg2+ with good quantum yield in aqueous environment. The color of the solution containing receptor 1 changed from colorless to yellow upon the addition of Cu2+ ions. Therefore, receptor 1 can act as a fluorescent chemosensor for Hg2+ and a naked eye probe for Cu2+ in aqueous environment. Quantification of absorption titration analysis shows that the detection limit was 6.15 x 10(-7) M for 1-Cu2+ and 3.16 x 10(-7) M for 1-Hg2+, respectively. Finally, the receptor 1 has been used successfully for determination of Hg2+ in living cells. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.